You may have even thought you were watching an episode of Saturday Night Live before reality kicked in and that yes, you had just seen breaking news on TV. And that yes, Bush, at 62, still has catlike reflexes and managed to avoid both shoes. The conference was held in Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s office to mark the signing of a security agreement.

Several news reports explained that in Arab culture, throwing shoes is a grave show of disrespect. “This is the farewell kiss, you dog,” Al Zeidi reportedly yelled at Bush in Arabic. In the Twittersphere, that sentiment may be shared by an even greater number – with thousands of ‘tweets’ expressing their desires to throw their very shoes – and other inanimate objects – at the outgoing 43rd US president.

David Hughes, from Glasgow, Scotland, said simply:

“If I had a shoe, I would throw it at Bush too.”

Rami Ismail, from the Netherlands, said:

“An Iraqi decided to throw a shoe at Bush during a conference. I can only imagine how sad fundamentalists are that the shoe wasn't a grenade.”

Several others commented on Bush’s reflexes and his shrugging the incident off, including Australian Kyle Buttress, who said:

“Bush had some good ducking and weaving action there during the Shoe toss… Good to see he didn't turn his back or anything.”

Erik Rasmussen, in Spain, said:

“This video of Bush & the shoe was the lead story on the news in Spain. Very telling, really, of his “accomplishments”. Needed a bloody nose.”

The Blogosphere is sure to come up with more reactions with each passing hour, but Englishman Georgie Hammerton was one of the quick ones to blog about the incident on My Bloggy Wog.

“I know this isn’t funny.. but, well it is isn’t it?

“On a side note; is this what passes for journalism in the US!? *shudder*. BBC, I salute you!”

Malaysian blogger Shamsul Yunos noted how the media covered the incident.

“If you watch CNN or BBC, they have put a fantastic spin on the story. It goes something like this: ‘Sure the image of someone throwing a shoe at Bush is bad but the fact that the man lived to tell the tale shows just how free Iraq is right now.’

“Great.

“The BBC interviewed people on the ground and the few Iraqis they met agreed with the shoe thrower in wanting Bush and the Americans out of their country.

“Apparently the white house doesn't think the image will seriously damage Bush's legacy.

“So what exactly is his legacy? Leaving a lot of mess behind? I'm sure that legacy is only being reinforced by the shoe throwing incident.”

Yunos was one of the few bloggers I came across that noted that Al Zeidi, the now well known shoe-attacker, had covered events in Sadr City extensively.

“(He) had lost several relatives in the conflict. He was also recently kidnapped and tortured in a three-day ordeal.”

Chicago-based Indian blogger Saqib Salman Shafi in his blog SaqibSaab questioned what Al Zeidi was really trying to accomplish.

“Now, based on the fact that he was using shoes, one may ask what exactly was he trying to accomplish? Best case scenario, Bush gets a black eye or a scoffed up nose. But you know what, I feel the disgruntled journalist, along with millions across the globe, could care less at the effectiveness of his weapons of choice. It was the statement that spoke loudest. Upset with the leader of the super powerful nation of the world? Take off your jutha(shoe) and chuck it at him. I can see the internet jokes of “epic shoe maneuver,” already.

“And check out how quickly he launches the first one and then removes his other shoe (reloads) and fires away. Maybe he had them untied and ready for deployment? Or rather, perhaps he wore slip-ons or loafers that day.”

Egyptian blogger, Zeinobia, was quite sorry Al Zeidi missed Bush’s head.

“This is the news of the day , sorry the news of the week or may be even the month and the end of the year.

“Bush was having a press conference today in his surprise visit to Baghdad with Al Maliki when Muntader Al-Zeidi , a reporter threw his shoes at him. Unfortunately he missed him :(”

She continued to blog about Al Zeidi, being a correspondent for Al Baghdadia Television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt, Zeinobia said she feared for his life.

“He has entered the history, already I wish that someone tells his news now in Baghdad because I fear on his life.

“Idiot Bush of course tried made fun from the incident and said these words : All I can report is a size 10.”

And in the Philippines, someone was up late enough - or way too early - to blog about it almost immediately as it broke. Dreamer4U asked why there was so much hatred in the hearts of Iraqis for Americans and other Westerners.

“It is for sure I thought an embarrassing time for America and Iraq, now I knew how mad is the Iraqi to the American, if you know why let me know here.

“Anyway the shoes of the Iraqi reporter is size 10, Bush should be glad it didn't hit him or else he would be injured before going home in the states. Now I know “W” is good on something, he could have been a good military guy, sadly he was a very ineffective President though.

“Why is it that there are hatred in the heart of the Islam/Iraqi for the American or western people?”

Bush arrived today in Baghdad on a surprise visit — his last to Iraq as commander-in-chief — to celebrate the agreement, thank U.S. troops and meet with Iraqi leaders.

It was Bush’s fourth visit to a nation transformed by the U.S.-led war he started in 2003. It follows three weeks after Iraq’s parliament approved an accord with the U.S. that provides for the withdrawal of American troops by the end of 2011.

Yesterday we voted for the change. We told the world that we are sick and tired of George W Bush and his ugly years.
Yesterday we voted that we are not racists and color does not mean a thing!
Yesterday I saw people driving their cars, waving the American flags from the windows and beeping their car horns
The feeling yesterday was like “ We took our country back”

God knows when? But one day, I will tell my kids that I voted for Obama!

I respect the American people who had the guts to know that they were wrong for the last 8 years and it is about time to fix their mistake (67% of states voted for change)!

Obama is really an international president, born in Hawaii, has african father, had his childhood in Asia, and is an American citizen…. black father, white mother…. Muslim father, secular mother, and Christian child… it is rare to find all these stuff in one person.

I dream one day I can see competing candidates in Egypt from different parties, among which are women and coptic candidates as well.

Sobort we Nelot ya Obama we 3o2bal 3andena :)
Mohaly

I hope he's sincere and honest and true.
Being the first African-American President, he should have a lot of eyes watching him and a lot of pressure which I think he shouldn't give in to.

And it started as it always does: with birds, schoolchildren, and car horns. No national holiday here.

I’m looking forward to going out in the streets to hear the reaction. The best reaction I’ve heard so far: “Black Man Given Nation’s Worst Job.”

Bah humbug. I confess I’m moved.
Comments
Welcome to America, Ahmed
Monday, November 03, 2008, 6:35:47 PM | The Skeptic
Author, journalist, and blogger Ahmed Salih missed his connecting flight to Texas because he was pulled into the Muslim Room at JFK.

Of course he was. I’ve seen a distinguished Tunisian professor, a wine connoisseur, no doubt, pulled into the Muslim Room at JFK—and he even had an embarrassed white guy there vouching for him. You just need to be called Ahmed. And our Ahmed has an unusual look about him, especially when he’s got that light beard thing going on.

Fortunately for us, he writes well. He’s recorded his experiences here. And fortunately for us, Will Ward also writes well. His translation is here:

The place perfectly resembled any Egyptian police station, except for the picture of Mr. George Bush hanging on the wall in place of Mubarak’s, and that the officers’ clothes were blue rather than white. The American officers had the same cold, dumb faces of their Egyptian counterparts. I told the officer at the beginning about my flight leaving in two hours, but he told me to sit waiting until they called my name. [Full post]

Ahmed and other Egyptian bloggers are in the United States on a USAid-funded project (guess that secret’s out now that it’s been on boing-boing) to allow them to cover the elections.

Presumably, USAid hopes that this will give them a first-hand view of American democracy in action and improve their opinion of the country. It seems like a successful program. I once saw a TV news segment about an Arab from the suburbs of Paris brought to the States on some similar deal. He did look very happy eating a large cheeseburger in New York.

I approve of these programs and think more governments should start them. I have a poor impression of Germany, for example. But that could change if the Germans would fly me there to eat a sausage. I can forgive all sorts of condescension for sausage. Just no interrogations please. Nothing scares me more than German interrogators.

I’m glad you made it out of JFK, Ahmed. I hope this program is bringing you to a good election party. Common wisdom says the Democrat parties will be more fun, but the Republican parties will be more journalistically interesting. Enjoy either way.

The article also mentions this text message that's being circulated around the country:

“Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Barack could run. Barack is running so our children can fly.”

Sometimes, it is not enough to have a Big Dream..
What matters is to have enough strength
to resist the pressures to give up a Big Dream!

Israel's leadership from caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to President Shimon Peres all offered their warm congratulations to Obama in personal letters and overnight phone calls.

But unnamed officials cited by Army Radio and other Israeli media outlets expressed anxiety that Obama's ascendance will enhance the greatest current existential threat facing the Jewish state: the Iranian nuclear program.

Obama repeatedly stated that he would meet with Iran's leadership without preconditions, a move that Israeli officials fear will give Iran the covering it needs to complete its work on a nuclear bomb without fear of military intervention by Israel or the US.

The officials said they do not see any drastic changes in US policy regarding other Israel-related issues of importance, such as the peace process with the Palestinians and combatting Islamic terrorism in the region.

Israel's largest daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, disagreed with that assessment a day before Obama's victory, warning that the Democrat's policy toward Iran would also extend to groups like Hamas.

The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, too, believes that Obama will alter more than just US policy toward Iran and Iraq, and will be far more forceful than President George W. Bush in extracting territorial concessions from Israel.

How did this latest incident happen?

On Tuesday night seven IDF soldiers were wounded and six gunmen were reported killed in clashes which erupted when IDF special forces entered Gaza in order to blow up a tunnel dug by Hamas terrorists for the purpose of kidnapping IDF soldiers.
The attacks by the terrorists continue. Three Israelis have been injured from the kassam and mortar attacks, including a girl being treated for shock.

The strategic hudna in place for several months has had tense moments before, but this is one of the largest attack on both sides since the hudna was declared. It's also the first since the US voted for its next President. This is just a taste of what Obama will have to look forward to from day one.

UPDATE:
In a related note, President Elect Obama begins his security briefings along with Vice President Elect Biden.
The briefings typically last 45 minutes to an hour, but Obama's initial one is expected to be longer. A U.S. intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity said Joe Biden, the vice president-elect, also will begin receiving briefings this week.

The president's daily brief that Obama will receive is mostly written by the Central Intelligence Agency and will include the most critical overnight intelligence for the president. They sometimes dig deeply into a specific topic to give the president an in-depth understanding.
UPDATE:
AP runs this story attempting to highlight the crises facing Obama, but it comes off as little more than an op-ed.
Obama's vision for sweeping foreign policy changes could have a profound effect on the nation's quest to hold onto its role as sole superpower.

The change in course includes globally popular choices such as a phased withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq and strong action on climate change, an issue that many say was neglected by the Bush administration.

Other changes Obama plans are more controversial.

He wants to increase U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan, which he views as the frontline in the battle against al-Qaida. And he has struck a more conciliatory stance with nations shunned as pariahs under the Bush administration.
I'm sure Iran and the terrorists in al Qaeda are cheering at the possibility of US withdrawal from Iraq. Appeasement with enemies of the West and of all things that Americans hold dear - the very notions of liberty and freedom - are at stake when you seek to hold talks with those who despise all those same concepts. That means meetings without preconditions with the likes of Hugo Chavez, Raul Castro, and the Iranians will be spectacular failures.

Besides, the President of the US isn't running a popularity contest. He's supposed to be doing what is best for the US to protect its national security. Doing the right thing isn't always the popular thing. Obama will learn that lesson very quickly. So will his supporters.

Of course, it’s hard, here in Palestine, to ignore Obama’s determined efforts to avoid any criticism of Israeli policy. The Israeli newspapers are filled with assurances that Obama is “a friend of Israel.” Today I received an email with a column by Ralph Nader blasting Obama for caving in to pro-Israel pressure, but Nader’s current location on the fringes of mainstream politics makes his on-target analysis unlikely to get much traction.

On BBC this morning, the election coverage I saw ignored Palestine and Israel, but as you might expect Al Jazeera got right to the point with an interview with journalist Robert Fisk. Fisk noted that Obama’s impressive speech ignored the importance of justice. Fisk was concerned that Obama’s promise to go after “those who tear the world down” (something like that) might be a hint that he would continue America’s identification of Islam as the enemy. Obama, Fisk predicted, won’t push Israel hard despite his commitment to speak “the truth.” As Nader wrote in his column, Obama abandoned his Palestinian sympathies once he left Illinois for Washington.

Nader, by the way, also emphasized Obama’s corporate-friendly political history, which helps explain the unusual support he’s received from corporate interests. I’ve long thought that Obama, like Democrats more generally, routinely ignore the two issues I’ve been most concerned with over the years, corporate power and rights, a topic I’ve explored in my academic work, and applying justice principles to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On these issues, and I suspect on others, Obama will disappoint many of his current fans.

After eight years of failed American policy in the Middle East, President Obama has the chance to reassert constructive American leadership in one of the most complex geopolitical regions of the world.

To his credit, President George W. Bush has been a steadfast ally of Israel throughout his two terms in the White House. He made no effort to conceal his commitment to the Jewish state, which is no small favor. Israel, a regular scapegoat for the world's woes, usually cannot pride itself on its numerous friends among the nations or at the United Nations, where Israel-bashing a blood sport. Under President Bush, the United States consistently vetoed cynical resolutions in the U.N. Security Council.

But American sympathy, as important as it may be, is not enough. In international relations as in personal relations, genuine affection can blind one's eyes to what is really needed. And what is needed for Israel is an American administration willing to engage fully in the work of brokering a deal between Israel and its neighbors, especially the Palestinians.

And that's what Barack Obama needs to do from day one.

Everybody knows what a peace treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians would look like. The Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert of the centrist party Kadima disclosed in an interview that an agreement would include Israel's withdrawal to the 1967′ border with some land swaps on 1:1 ratio, with the dismantling of most settlements. Even with regard to Jerusalem, the hottest potato in the meal, Olmert admits there would be some sort of a compromise.

The realization of the common expectation has proved a tricky matter. Weak leadership in Israel and among the Palestinians, coupled with mutual suspicion, has made the most plausible compromise a political impossibility. Only America can provide the collateral needed for such an agreement.

President Obama begins his term with vast international popularity, which can translate into extremely strong leverage. His exalted status around the world, notably in the European Union and to a lesser extent the Arab world, is antithesis of his predecessor's.

Given the landscape of the Presidential race, where the American Jewish vote was a force in several key states, Obama also made clear he would defend Israel's interests. And though his willingness to talk to Iran was viewed with suspicion by some Jewish Americans, Obama curried enough favor with the liberal American Jewish electorate through his liberal domestic proposals. In the end, he won 75 percent of the Jewish American vote.

Thus Obama has a better political leverage on all sides to succeed where his predecessor failed. For starters, no other U.S. President could possibly be in a better position to build an international coalition against Iran.

Obama can channel the overwhelming support he received during his short campaign visit to Berlin, bringing Germany on board as a key player. And that's especially important. Germany is Iran's number one trading partner; it is the country that can make economic sanctions hurt the most in Tehran. So far Germany's rhetoric has been soothing to Israeli ears, but its economic interests in Iran prevented it from acting.

Obama is also in a favorable position to bring together the United Nations, the European Community and the rest of international community to establish an effective response to Iran. His ability to promote sanctions is strengthened because he defended the principle of talking to your enemies, not just to friends.

Reports of an ailing President Ahmadinejad combined with the plummeting price of oil - well below the level Iran needs to balance its budget - is ravaging Iran's economy and shaking up its political system. Now more than at any other time in recent years, Iran is vulnerable to outside pressure, including diplomacy.

The longer the world waits for Iran to develop nuclear weapons fully, the more Israel is in danger. But this much is also true: A lasting peace is a necessary condition for the continuation of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

The longer we wait, the worse for Israel.

President Barack Obama understands precisely that.

Me: Congratulations.
Obama: Thank you.

Me: Can you describe your feelings now?
Obama: First of all, I'd like to thank Allah … ehm … God, for this victory, and I want to thank all the voters who lined-up under the rain to vote for me.

Me: As you know, people here in the Arab world are building hopes on you - may be because your middle name or even your tan - to solve the Palestinian-Israeli problem.
Obama: Well, it is not a secret that I am pro Islamists and Arabs. But on the other hand I am a fair person who's looking for the best solution for everybody. Also if I stopped supporting Israel, the media here will attack me 24×7. Anyway, I believe that the reason why the Middle-East problem was not solved during the past 50 years or more, is that we were biased somehow to the Israelis. That's why I'll do my best to treat the two parties equally and will not be biased to one side or the other.

Me: What are your plans for the current financial crisis?
Obama: To tell you the truth, after this crisis I lost faith in our economical and financial experts and their theories about credit default swap and such crap, and I think I will fire them all, and hire some Muslim Clerics from Saudi, Kuwait and Egypt in order to help us fixing it.

Me: Clerics!?
Obama: I know, it may sound a bit strange, but let's be frank. Those guys appear on TV and keep talking about the crisis more than our own experts. They seem to be really confident that the only way to fix this crisis is by applying the Islamic Sharia. So, why waste our time and money on those experts, while there are some others who know nothing about economy and yet can offer solutions to our problems.

Me: Mr. Obama, are you an Ahly or Zamalek fan?
Obama: I used to be a Zamalek fan since I was kid, but in the last few years I was really busy with the whole election thing and I don't think I've watched any football matches in the last 4 years.

Me: Mr. Obama, thanks a lot for your time, and one final word for our readers.
Obama: I am a big fan “Not Green Data”, and would really like to meet all NGD readers in person one day. So please accept my warmest wishes for you and your families.

PS. This interview is fake :)

I am sorry but what Sharia those dear brothers and sisters are speaking in a non Islamic country !!?? God ordered you to change the world in to a better place as far as if we can .With my all respect those dear brothers and sisters who have the ability to vote and to change even on a very narrow scale the politics of America and the world and refuse to do are silent devils. They may not save the middle east but at least they may enhance in a way or another their living.

Last month there was a debate between a democrat American diplomat and a Republican American diplomat in Alexandria ,both of them agreed that the Jewish lobby can have a real rival if the Muslims and Arabs are united in one or two lobbies that work for their interest just like the rest of the lobbies in the States whether ethnic or religious lobbies.

How can The Arabs and Muslims form a lobby if they can’t agree on anything or even refuse to vote because of fake reasons like this ??Sometimes I think that some Muslim and Arab Americans do not vote because they fear to engage in any kind political activity .

Barack Obama's Victory Speech: Yes We Can! (Part 1 of 2)

Barack Obama's Victory Speech: Yes We Can! (Part 2 of 2)