WHO IS THIS SHOE THROWER

When President Bush came to say goodbye to Iraq, a reporter Muntadar el Zaidi hurled shoe at him twice at the press conference. The whole world watched this episode on TV. This kind of behaviour with an honourable dignitary is deemed highly derogatory and insulting in India as well as in central Asian countries. On Dec 14, 2008, Bush and Noorie-el-malik (loyal Iraqi prime minister) were to sign an U.S.–Iraqi defence pact. This happy occasion came after 6 years of war and destruction in Iraq. The devastation still continues. It seems weird that a country that invaded another signs a mutual safety pact with its victim. Wow and the entire world either watches this drama mutely or applauds it !
President Bush at this fourth and last tour of Iraq said, “Defence pact is a great achievement but there is more work ahead. Elementary work is done and we shall jointly work to restore peace.” He further stated, “This pact  is a progressive step to help the Iraqi people and they can now be blessed to experience a free society. It was not an easy task but was necessary for the safety of America, expectations of Iraqis and for world peace.”
The puppet Iraqi president then appreciated America for liberating Iraq, bringing democracy and progress to the nation.
And pat rose the issue of shoe throwing by a journalist who was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment but was released after a few months because his imprisonment was the cause of his increasing popularity in Iraq and Central Asia as well as resentment against puppet Iraqi government. He was set free after a lot of deliberation. In this way it would be easier to control or eliminate him. It will be a surprise if he survives for a long time. A few years back we have witnessed such ‘freedom’ for many in Punjab.Al Zaidi when set free said, “yes I am free but my nation is still a prisoner of war.” Then he made a long speech whose salient points are as under:
“I am grateful to all those people of Iraq, Central Asia and rest of the world who upheld the symbolic gesture that I made. I had inner compulsion to do this because of the injustice inflicted to my people and the way my country has been destroyed under army boots. Men, women and children of my nation were ruthlessly killed, more than 10 lakh fell martyr to the bullets, hundreds of thousand children rendered orphans, several lakh women were widowed and lakhs of people were made homeless.
We, people of different communities stayed together with peace and good will. All including Christian community celebrated festivals together. Sometimes, we did feel government oppression. The false promise of freedom from Saddam has opened our eyes. Brothers, neighbours, relatives have parted ways. People are being buried enmasse like in the times of plague, even in gardens and on edges of roads. Daily, thousands of people are picked up from their homes and thrown into prisons. This is the freedom we have got. I am no hero. The continued insult of my nation was a great burden on my heart and I could not sleep. Being a journalist I have seen the piles of dead bodies with my own eyes. I have witnessed cities like Falluja, Najaf and Basra ripped apart. I have been to every nook and  corner of the country; seen the burning fire in the tears of people and heard screams rending the skies.
As a part of my job I used to write reports, wash clothes smeared with mud and blood and clench my teeth vowing to avenge the death of all these innocent people.
When I got an oppourtunity I couldn’t let it go. It was my gesture for each innocent’s blood, each unhappy mother, each orphan’s sobs and each rape victim’s tears. It was a gesture of my loyalty to them.
By throwing my shoe at the guilty killer Bush’s face I was able to register my protest against the destruction and control over my nation, killing of my people and plundering the wealth of my nation. This murderer (Bush) after destroying our nation started gloating over victory and democracy restored and was looking forward to being garlanded at the time of departure.
The straight talk is that for this invader and a few of his pet associates’ propaganda, my shoe was like a flower. I know what is my end going to be! American sources are after me who will either try to control me as a journalist or cripple me or kill me. I am ready for that.”
El Zaidi was captured immediately after he hurled the shoes and after months of torture he was set free because his stature in prison was growing and reputation of U.S.A and its puppet Iraqi government was being sullied.
Punjabis can easily understand the story of Muntadar el Zaidi. Just think if what happened in Iraq was repeated in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Chandigrah or densely populated villages or if we were to witness scenes of destruction from one sided bombing. If the society was a victim of bombardment and destruction, there were piles of garbage all over, people devoid of even a drop of clean water, would Punjabi blood not boil?
From this land of Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh not once any “warrior saint”/holy man condemned the injustice done to Iraq. Our society or government did not express grief even once for the million dead Iraqis.
Even our media presented Iraqi freedom fighters who were like our Bhagat Singh as villains, terrorists, rebels or opportunists. The same media associated invading armies with freedom and progress. For their progressive and honest policies, Iraqi Udham and Bhagat Singh are big blockades. For our media U.S. and its allies are sacrificing their lives to remove these blockades !
Muntader el Zaidi roared when he threw the first shoe “This is a good bye kiss to you dog” and again on throwing the second one he shouted, “this is from the widows, orphans and killed Iraqi people.”
Later in response to a query by a journalist, President Bush commented, “this is an attention seeking device, I don’t understand the problem of this man. I am not perturbed over this incident.”
What of spoken barbs of Zaidi and what cool, sweet response of Bush’s Wow the whole Iraq can give their lives for such great Bush ! If ever you come to our Punjab to kill us, we would happily offer you our heads for you to chop ! Udham Singh and Bhagat Singh were misled youths! We have built their statues and observe their martyrdom day as mere rituals. You are the one blessed by Jesus Christ. Believe us, we echo what you say. Only grantus our one little wish : save a few green cards for our children, that would be enough for us!

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