Bush in Iraq
Ethically, I do not endorse the way the Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi expressed his disgust against the US President George W. Bush because by this action Zeidi being a journalist has shown gross disregard to journalistic ethics. Under the conventional rule, it is unlawful even to point a finger at the car carrying a foreign dignitary. After all, Mr. Bush is the president of a country which has been bestowed with abundant knowledge, resources, and power. Of course, it is true that President George W. Bush being the head of a country which is considered the lone superpower has abused his capacity by invading Iraq on a false pretext that Iraq had harboured weapons of mass destruction. But in reality, Bush's hypothesis could not be proved as no such weapon was found. But the war commissioned by President Bush had claimed lives of hundreds of thousands innocent Iraqi people plus 4,209 US soldiers. The United States spent nearly $567 billion since the war in Iraq began in 2003.
To speak the truth, President Bush has contributed to the destabilization of world peace and understanding plus tarnishing and jeopardizing his country's image and goodwill among the international community. Iraqi journalist Zeidi's throwing of shoes at President Bush has not only humiliated Mr. Bush but all the people of the United States of America.
Anyway, I am of the opinion that journalist Zeidi should be exempted from any charge whatsoever considering his action as an outcome of his personal frustration.
Meanwhile, I think Zeidi should quit his job in journalism, instead he should join active Iraqi politics to work for restoring self-rule and democracy in Iraq.
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The person who has got least respect for human life, freedom and dignity, President GW Bush, has ultimately been 'rewarded' quite profusely while attending a press conference in Iraq. He and his likes occupied an independent sovereign state on the basis of false allegations in an attempt to destroy its people, culture and history and loot its wealth and to fulfil political ambition in the Middle East. Zeidi, an Iraqi journalist, has thrown shoes at him, a gesture of extreme humiliation and disrespect in Arab culture, it is a sign of disrespect in other cultures of the world too. Mr. Zeidi's attitude towards Mr. Bush represents the grievances of the entire humanity that has suffered indignation under occupation and repression of the US forces. It is very interesting to note that in a press conference Mr. Bush said that he did not feel any shame for shoes being thrown at him. Well, this has always been the face of an obstinate and incorrigible occupier and colonialist like GW Bush, as shameless as ever.
Abbas Masud, M.C. Roy Lane, Nawabganj, Dhaka
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