Seems about right.
Good to see the rule of law and the legal system working as it should over there.
BAGHDAD – The Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at then-President George W. Bush was convicted Thursday of assaulting a foreign leader and sentenced to three years in prison, lawyers said. He defiantly shouted “long live Iraq” when the sentence was read
Full story here:
I am sure this will go a long way in generating good will toward the US.
Seems pretty harsh to me. If you accept the idea that people should be free to express an opinion, this comes down to the simple act of throwing a shoe at someone. The chance of him doing any damage with that shoe is almost zero. It seems the punishment should be more along the lines of a parking ticket fine.
Thom
If there is such a thing, I would think it would be attempted assault. he meant for that shoe to hit George. That isn’t an opinion, that is assault. If he had got up and said “The USA sucks” that is an opinion and you are correct, he should be free to say that.
2 completely different things from where I sit.
I’m calling for a congressional investigation into President Bush’s use of PEDs. Those cat-like reflexes don’t come naturally to men of his age.
Iraqi “shoe thower” gets 3 years…
I think he should get a medal.
I’m not suggesting it isn’t assault, it is. I’m not sure what the penalty for throwing a shoe at another person is, but 3 years in prison is a lot. As soon as you take into account that it was the president, then it’s more than throwing a shoe. You are factoring in something else symbolic. I think that symbolic portion of the assualt should be protected freedom of expression.
Thom
At least it beats getting fed feet first into a woodchipper or being fed to lions.
If I was sentencing the guy I’d have given him 3 years too: 2 months for throwing a shoe at Bush and 28 months for not having the balls to throw a shoe at Saddam.
If I was sentencing the guy I’d have given him 3 years too: 2 months for throwing a shoe at Bush and 28 months for not having the balls to throw a shoe at Saddam.
What about the other 6 months? 
I guess he’s just lucky I’m not his judge, I could just as easily screw up the math and keep him in jail longer
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Interesting. I wonder what the penalty would be if a reporter in the U.S. threw a couple of shoes at a visiting head of state.
If I was sentencing the guy I’d have given him 3 years too: 2 months for throwing a shoe at Bush and 28 months for not having the balls to throw a shoe at Saddam.
What about the other 6 months?
He’s using the metric system.
Good to see the rule of law and the legal system working as it should over there.
Unless the Iraqis were still in the stone age when we invaded (which they weren’t since they are oldest civilaztions and had the most advanced government system in the region), then I think they already had a rule of law and a court system that was working. In fact, we probably screwed it up and are now padding ourselves for helping to restore it to some mediocre level.
**I am sure this will go a long way in generating good will toward the US. **
Don’t kid yourself. With people like that there is no good will unless you convert to Isalm tomorrow.
Seems pretty harsh to me.
Maybe to get a lighter sentence he should have tried the shoe throwing on Sadam instead.
I think he should get a medal.
Only if he did the same to Hillary. I doubt her reflexes are as good as GW’s … splat! … and double splat … that would be medal deserving Hillaryious.
Good to see the rule of law and the legal system working as it should over there.
Unless the Iraqis were still in the stone age when we invaded (which they weren’t since they are oldest civilaztions and had the most advanced government system in the region), then I think they already had a rule of law and a court system that was working. In fact, we probably screwed it up and are now padding ourselves for helping to restore it to some mediocre level.
Yep, you’re probably right. I’m sure that a trial by jury always preceded getting fed into the 'ole woodchipper!
There’s are many countries in the world that view our death penalty as barbaric. Wood chipper or electric chair is pretty much the same thing.
What a loser.
Not only does he get 3 years, he also missed.