From NPR:
"The journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush during the president's final visit to Iraq last December was released from prison Tuesday and says he was tortured by Iraqi officials during his incarceration. ... "
Now the guy lives in fear that the U.S. will hunt him down. The man has been through enough.
If I had the chance to meet him, I'd shake his hand and reassure him that all Americans are not like George W. Bush. I'd also apologize to him for what happened to his country and because Americans allowed W. so much power that the opposition could not stop him from invading and conquering Iraq.
I do not blame him for his outburst, and he did not deserve torture. The fact that he was tortured tells us that the Iraqi leadership learned the wrong lessons from us about democracy. We taught them it was OK to have a democracy and to torture.
He was rightfully angry and frustrated at what had become of his country, and he is looked upon as a hero across the Arab world because he did what many wish they could have done.
Until we understand that anger that we unleashed, there will be no peace in the Middle East.
Someone should invite this man to the U.S. for a speaking tour. We could learn much from him.
September 2018: To be clear, this post has to do with national sovereignty. Every nation has a right to sovereignty. To put it another way ... if Justin Trudeau ordered Canada to invade and conquer the U.S. and they successfully toppled Donald Trump as president, I would be just as outraged as that Iraqi journalist throwing his shoes.
For better or worse, it is up to the citizens and government of each country to solve their own problems and choose their own course.
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