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  1. #1
    Arto's Avatar Praefectus
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    Default Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7898486.stm?lss

    The trial of an Iraqi man who threw his shoes at former US President George W Bush has been adjourned until March.
    Muntadar al-Zaidi is charged with assaulting a foreign leader and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years.
    His lawyers argue he was simply expressing his views in a country where passions are still inflamed after the US-led invasion in 2003.
    In his first public appearance since his arrest, Mr Zaidi was met in court by applause, ululating and chanting.
    The journalist wore an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders.
    He appeared fit and well, despite reports from friends and family that he was badly beaten shortly after his arrest.
    The TV reporter achieved global notoriety by his actions, which were celebrated across the Arab world.
    'Symbol of disrespect'
    In court in Baghdad, Mr Zaidi requested two more lawyers to be added to his already huge defence team, and the judge ordered a short break to consider the request.
    The judge later adjourned the trial until March 12, saying the court needs time to ask the Iraqi cabinet whether Mr Bush's visit was "formal or informal", the Associated Press news agency reported.
    Earlier, the head of his defence team told the BBC they would be pressing for the charges to be dismissed and for Mr Zaidi freed, without delay.
    He said Mr Zaidi stood by what he had done and would not be offering any apologies to Mr Bush. Mr Zaidi's lawyers say he was making a legitimate protest.
    Mr Zaidi's lawyers said earlier that he had simply been expressing his opposition to the US presence in Iraq and that Mr Bush had never been in serious danger.
    "Have you ever heard of anyone being killed by a shoe?" lawyer Dhiaa al-Saadi told Reuters in December.
    "In Europe, they throw eggs and rotten tomatoes to insult. In Iraq, throwing a shoe is a symbol of disrespect."
    The trial is not expected to last long, as the sequence of events is not in dispute.
    Mr Zaidi threw two shoes at Mr Bush during a press conference in Baghdad on 15 December.
    He shouted that Mr Bush was "a dog" and the shoes were "a farewell kiss" from those who had been killed, orphaned or widowed in Iraq.
    Mr Bush ducked the shoes and appeared untroubled by the incident, joking shortly after that he knew they were a size 10.
    Mr Zaidi was arrested and has been held in custody ever since.
    His actions were condemned by the Iraqi government as "shameful", but he was celebrated as a hero by thousands in the Arab world, who called for his immediate release from prison.
    Mr Zaidi had been due to go on trial last December, but his trial was postponed.
    Knowledge is a deadly friend, if no one sets the rules. The fate of all mankind I see, is in the hands of fools - King Crimson's Epitaph.
    תחי מדינת ישראל

  2. #2
    Pious Agnost's Avatar Praefectus
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    15 years? Ridiculous. The man should get just a slap on the wrist seeing as Bush dosen't care

  3. #3
    Yorkshireman's Avatar Praefectus
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    I can't even see why its going to trial, in most countries a magistrate would just give you a small fine for disorderly conduct or something similar.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Quote Originally Posted by Alakasam View Post
    15 years? Ridiculous. The man should get just a slap on the wrist seeing as Bush dosen't care
    I would agree 15 years is harsh. But I also think a "slap on the wrist" would only prove motivational for other attacks on future visiting leaders. 15 years though provides the same inspiration from a martyr perspective.

    I think one year would serve the purpose.
    "oooh a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, sky is starlit and the time is right. Now you're telling me you have to go...before you do there's something you should know." - Bob Seger

    Freedom is the distance between church and state.

  5. #5
    Ahlerich's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    jesus would just have trown his sandals at him and called it even. damn these puppet state show trials.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Guessing he is facing jail time (which i doubt he'll get) because it was a head of state/formal visit. I think the comparison between eggs and shoes however is idiotic, one can play anything inside a shoe, it could have steel tip etc and do alot of damage an egg however is an egg. That said throwing anything at anyone is NOT legitimate mode of protest, it IS imo assault however minor it maybe and uncivilized.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Quote Originally Posted by danzig View Post
    That said throwing anything at anyone is NOT legitimate mode of protest, it IS imo assault however minor it maybe and uncivilized.
    What about throwing bomb at your house ? or a tomahawk missile ?
    In my opinion, that was the strongest form of protest that man could make, and actually succeeded. You'd have refered him doing a suicide bombing attack ? Use a gun like in a "civilised" country ?
    Imagine you'd face a guy that starved your country, bombed every building you know, kill multiple friends and family members, and that guy was showing off in front of the TV, with loads of thanks from your own government.
    What would you do ?
    Saying you disagree wouldnt be heard.
    Showing a disagreeing poster would have allmost no impact (or not at all).
    That move, was highly symbolic and in my opinion quite civilised compared to other available options.
    That man is a hero, not only for Iraq, or other southern countries, but for everyone. When bush was in office (or name your own moron_president/minister) would you have the balls to to as much ?
    I'd like to have that courage should i be close enougth to Sarkozy ...

  8. #8
    Ahlerich's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Quote Originally Posted by zerathule View Post
    That man is a hero, not only for Iraq, or other southern countries, but for everyone.
    yeah democracy has arrived in iraq. finally the old greek system of one man one shoe is intruduced in the wild east.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Throwing something at the President of the United States is what will possibly give him jail-time, not so much the whole "foreign leader" thing.
    Heir to Noble Savage in the Imperial House of Wilpuri

  10. #10

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Mikelus, how many years for Bush then ?

  11. #11

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Well, I'm pretty sure he never threw his shoes at a visiting leader. They only had to endure chopping wood at his ranch.

    Seriously though, what crimes on the level of assault do you think he has committed? I've heard of none.
    "oooh a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, sky is starlit and the time is right. Now you're telling me you have to go...before you do there's something you should know." - Bob Seger

    Freedom is the distance between church and state.

  12. #12
    Ahlerich's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    lol assault on countries doesnt count i guess

  13. #13
    Father Jack's Avatar expletive intended
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    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Or illegal wars.......
    Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    I'm pretty sure the invasion of Iraq was indeed unpopular, in retrospect, but Iraq was in violation of UN mandates.
    "oooh a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, sky is starlit and the time is right. Now you're telling me you have to go...before you do there's something you should know." - Bob Seger

    Freedom is the distance between church and state.

  15. #15

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Reading Mikelusīposts is a bit like:


  16. #16

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Quote Originally Posted by gojira View Post
    Reading Mikelusīposts is a bit like:

    And reading yours one always comes away with a feeling of helplessness because the end of the world, according to you, was yesterday.

    I know it is hard for young people to accept the fact the "life's experiences" actually do count for something.

    Tis why you feel the end of the world is here, and I do not.
    "oooh a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, sky is starlit and the time is right. Now you're telling me you have to go...before you do there's something you should know." - Bob Seger

    Freedom is the distance between church and state.

  17. #17

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Yes, use whatever stupid pictures you need instead of making an actual argument. Typical.

    Look, this guy attempted to assault the President of the United States. him.
    قرطاج يجب ان تدمر

  18. #18

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    The pic represents exactly what I think reading his posts (and yours also )
    Unable to put in words, the sheer stupidity and distorted perception of

    a) what is right
    and
    b) what is appropiate

    The president of the United States is a drinker, mass murder, hypocrite, liar, blood money taker and in coffins :wub: madman (god knows what bush did before him -jk).

    Throwing a shoe at him is ridicoulous. Heīs responsible for more than 1.000.000 dead Iraqies, yet you defend that criminal? Tens of thousands of dead americans, for what? Your country is: FINITO

    30Millions depend on foot stemps, 50 mio of you cannot even read, hundreds of thousands of you lose their houses now, and the USA is close to a civil war again, yet you defend that guy still.
    You will become the first "undeveloped" nation ever.
    Yet, you still havenīt figured out that you were fisted right into your bumm, and you keep on licking those criminalīs shoes.


    Reading comments and opinions as the stuff I happened to read here, shatters my empathy for the fate of the US americans.

  19. #19

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    Quote Originally Posted by gojira View Post
    The pic represents exactly what I think reading his posts (and yours also )
    Unable to put in words, the sheer stupidity and distorted perception of

    a) what is right
    and
    b) what is appropiate

    The president of the United States is a drinker, mass murder, hypocrite, liar, blood money taker and in coffins :wub: madman (god knows what bush did before him -jk).

    Throwing a shoe at him is ridicoulous. Heīs responsible for more than 1.000.000 dead Iraqies, yet you defend that criminal? Tens of thousands of dead americans, for what? Your country is: FINITO

    30Millions depend on foot stemps, 50 mio of you cannot even read, hundreds of thousands of you lose their houses now, and the USA is close to a civil war again, yet you defend that guy still.
    You will become the first "undeveloped" nation ever.
    Yet, you still havenīt figured out that you were fisted right into your bumm, and you keep on licking those criminalīs shoes.


    Reading comments and opinions as the stuff I happened to read here, shatters my empathy for the fate of the US americans.
    Good riddance. We did not seek, not will we accept, the empathy of doomsdayers.
    "oooh a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, sky is starlit and the time is right. Now you're telling me you have to go...before you do there's something you should know." - Bob Seger

    Freedom is the distance between church and state.

  20. #20

    Default Re: Iraqi shoe thrower trial delayed

    This is not a question of being pessimistic or optimistic, this is a question of beeing realistic.

    Lets talk again in 6 months.

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