In a sign of lingering anger over the war that will define US president George W Bush's foreign policy legacy, an Iraqi journalist shouted, "this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog", and hurled his shoes at Mr Bush during a news conference with Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki yesterday.
Throwing shoes at somebody is a supreme insult in the Middle East. One of the shoes sailed over the president's head and slammed into the wall behind him and he had to duck to miss the other one.
Mr Maliki tried to block the second shoe with his arm.
"It's like going to a political rally and have people yell at you. It's a way for people to draw attention," Mr Bush said.
"I don't know what the guy's cause was. I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it."
The journalist was leapt on by Iraqi security officials and US secret service agents and dragged from the room screaming and struggling. - (Reuters)