Iraq Shoe Thrower, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, Wants Pardon According To Prime Minister's Spokesman

From AP
A spokesman for Iraq's prime minister says the journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has asked for a pardon.

Spokesman Yassin Majid says that in a letter sent Thursday to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the journalist described his behavior as "an ugly act" and asked to be pardoned.

Majid says that Muntadhar al-Zeidi in the letter recalls the kindness the prime minister once showed him during an interview in 2005 and asked for al-Maliki to show him kindness once again.

Al-Zeidi, a correspondent for an Iraqi-owned television station based in Cairo, Egypt, could face two years imprisonment for insulting a foreign leader.

Reuters goes into more detail about the letter that Muntadhar al-Zeidi sent to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki:

"Zaidi said in his letter that his big ugly act cannot be excused," Majeed said...

...One of Zaidi's brothers said he had no information about him but found the idea he sent Maliki an apology unbelievable.

"This information is absolutely not true. This is a lie. Muntazer is my brother and I know him very well. He does not apologize," Udai al-Zaidi said. He added: "But if it happened, I tell you it happened under pressure."

Zaidi was brought before an investigating judge on Tuesday and admitted "aggression against a president," a crime that could incur a 15-year sentence, judicial officials said. He could face trial soon.

Comments

[HoosSane]

shoes don't lie.

[guntotinganglion]

This doesn't sound right. I wonder if he had electrodes attached to his privates when he made the "request"? That would be the way Bush would do it...so, not a big stretch to presume that Maliki would follow his owner's example. The entire world needs to throw their shoes at Bush...

[lungfish]

Dubya dodged that shoe like the coward he is.
Release this man immediatly. He didn't deserve broken bones and being beaten.
But this is the Democracy and Freedom that Dubya, Cheney and PNAC envisioned.
Freedom but with a jackboot to the head if you step out of line.
Release this man. Give him his shoes.

Beat the President.

[gerrylong]

By God, another world sport in the making -- shoe-throwing for gold at the Olympics???

Why not -- must be size 10, not to exceed X? lbs.; twenty feet distance; and the required life-size image of the Dubya to aim at. What inspiration would drive this. What a rage it could become. Every carnival installs a shoe-throwing booth. Fraternities haze with heavier than heavy shoes. Little League shoe throwing -- size 5, 6, 7, depending on age. NCAA shoe-throwing competitions. And ultimately the N.S.T. League, with its own super-bowl.

Endless fascinating possibilities. Thank you Muntadhar al-Zaidi.

[aloha43]

Must have Bush center stage for all to throw their shoes at.

[AliMB]

whether this is true or not, i think Mr. Al-Zaidi should apologize. He is a profesional journalist and it is irresponsible to throw your shoes during a press conference. I'm sure he has every reason to hate Bush, but if everyone would act on their emotions than it would be difficult to carry out one's duties

[bby328]

He signed his apologie with an "X".

[Roses]

Maybe he held the pen in his mouth too.....because his arms are broken?

[hialoha]

Very true. He has just offered an opportunity to vent frustration the levels of crisis we find ourselves in as a nation. Perhaps dramatized displays of compassion and sympathizing just helps somehow.

[myangeldog1]

Bush for all that is decent and humane and RIGHT......YOU should take it upon yourself and denounce the treatment this man has recieved at the hands of his captures and be the first to come forward and FORGIVE this man. YOU were the one to take it upon yourself...to invade this mans country and force democracy down these peoples throats....some democracy huh?! YOU Bush, are going to sit there and allow this man to grovel at your feet after what you have done to his country?! You are despicable. What would your G o d say to this...huh Mr. President? You are so far removed and oblivious of the situation in your own country let alone that of I r aq. Pope John Paul II FORGAVE his would be assassin......you are no man of G o d Mr. President.

[AliMB]

read the article please. He is not apologzing to Bush, who he I'm sure he passionately hates, but to the Iraqi PM for embarassing him and acting unprofessionally (of course, assuming this letter is actually authentic). Secondly, the accusation of torture comes from his brother and not any independent source. It was his brother who got on the phone with various media outlets claiming abuse without a shred of evidence. He may be telling the truth, but lets hold off on making assumptions. You ask Bush to do what is humane, but then you call him despicable. Please let me say that this is not conducive to getting results

[myangeldog1]

Whatever Ali.....the brother is an Independent source....and Bush has the authority and clout to do the right thing as far as the Iraqi Pm is concerned....this entire fiasco from 'shock and awe' until the shoe throwing incident is beyond rationaliz­ation.....­go ahead and keep defending the broken arm and ribs I'm sure Democracy in this region will prevail....GMAFB.

[aloha43]

Really? What should it matter if he apologized to Bush or the PM.

Bush doesn't deserve an apology. Like myangeldog1 said......Bush IS the despicable one for what he did to their country, and then doing a last minute, surprise visit to gloat. Bush is the one who should apologize to AMERICA, to IRAQ, to EVERYONE for his rotten acts and rotten attitude.

He needs to admit some wrongdoing, and he wouldn't even if his life depended on it. All he is doing is trying to make people believe that he served with honor. There was no honor there. None. Zip. Zilch. Nothing.

He will go down as the worst president....EVER! I can't wait for the last 32 days, 12 hours, 32 minutes, and 13, 12, 11, 10 seconds to be over with.

Kick him out now before he can do any more damage to the world.

[coastalcarla]

You can't be serious. Do you need video to believe that people that get arrested in Baghdad are being tortured? It's common knowledge that the Iraqi police do this and so do the Americans . Especially when you consider that the man not only insulted Bush, but embarrassed his puppet in front of the cameras as well. The judge had to visit him in his cell for his arraignment, for crying out loud. It's obvious why - the man was too roughed up to be seen by anyone.

[Indy 44]

YOU, Angeldog, have got Olbermann's style down, with your repeated and pointed YOUs....

[thegirlnextdoor]

But, we all want to throw our shoes at bush. We all thought it was a brilliant pitch. the Yankees should snap him up!
Let the guy go.

[afgail]

I confess I would have liked to do the same. But I know actions have consequences. Part of any decision making process regarding civil disobeydience requires that you weight the act and the consequences. If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime. There are many ways to protest. Assaulting the president of the United States carries with it grave known risks. Let the bastard rot in jail for a few years.

I am a Bush hater, but I'm not nuts.

[Bitsko]

It's still a crime in France to insult the French president.

[spandautoseattle]

If the French army occupied nations to gain control over their natural resources, the French Pres would have to expect similar incidents. Try discussing the situation again, this time with context provided.

[AliMB]

i think his point was that what Mr. Al-Zaidi did was, like it or not, illegal under Iraqi law. And before we should criticize this law, there are similar statues in the most advanced of judicial systems. I think it is a matter of respecting diplomatic protocol. If you were to throw your shoes at the President of Guatemela or the Prime Minister of Japan in the United States, please expect to be arrested and punished.

[Iraq war of choice]

Wow!! Two years for insulting Bush!!!

I would get life.

[AlexNYC]

I don't condone Al-Zeidi's actions, nobody should be hurling items like shoes at a head of state, regardless of their personal feelings. Verbal remarks and banana cream pies excluded.

As a side comment, shouldn't there also be law for when a head of state continuously insults our intelligence with misinformation and half-thruths?

[ellawensmom]

Me, too.

[SFkid]

Sounds like a very LOOOONNNGG prison sentence for you dude. If your not in the USA, don't expect to be treated as such.

[fumes]

i'm glad Muntadhar al-Zeidi has brothers watching over him as best they can.

[Iraq war of choice]

Let him go.

He has to appear on Leno and push his new book deal.

[SurferKit]

Do the right thing, Bush, pardon the guy. Finally, show someone you are a compassionate conservative.

[AliMB]

its not Bush's decision! he is in Iraqi custody!

[dRwOOD]

Bush's forgiveness would go a long way - after claiming to have "liberated" the Iraqui people....... why not back your rhetoric with some real substance and "liberate" someone??

[FairTalk]

Bush to grant shoe-thrower a pardon?

Not a bad way to get attention.

[AliMB]

if it was bush's call, i'm sure he would to gain political points... but mr. al-zaidi is in iraqi custody, and thus all he can do is lobby the iraqi government, which i'm sure he has to sweep this incident under the rug

[dcoxucla]

LOL I BET HES SORRY HE DIDNT HIT HIM