Morning Brief: ‘Shoe bomber’ bids farewell to Bush

Top Story On a surprise visit to Baghdad, George W. Bush was forced to dodge a pair of flying shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist during a press conference with Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki. After throwing the shoes, the man yelled, “this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.” See photos ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
591096_081215_bush5.jpg
591096_081215_bush5.jpg

Top Story

Top Story

On a surprise visit to Baghdad, George W. Bush was forced to dodge a pair of flying shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist during a press conference with Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki. After throwing the shoes, the man yelled, “this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.” See photos and video here.

The journalist who threw the shoe, Muntather al-Zaidi, has become the talk of Baghdad, with thousands demonstrating for his release from jail. McClatchy reports that Zaidi had been deeply affected by the U.S. bombing of Baghdad’s Sadr City.

Bush flew to Afghanistan early on Monday morning for one last meeting with President Hamid Karzai. This surprise trip to the region will likely be Bush’s last. 

Zaidi’s protest has understandably grabbed headlines during the president’s farewell tour, but a new 500-page government report detailing how $50 billion in U.S. taxpayer money was badly misspent during the reconstruction of Iraq may prove more significant to Bush’s legacy.

Asia

Thailand’s opposition leader will become prime minister after winning a vote in Parliament.

A newly released survey shows a grim outlook for Japan’s economy.

British PM Gordon Brown visited India and Pakistan, offering help in fighting terrorism.

Daily flights have begun between Taiwan and China.

Europe

Greeks aren’t happy with their government’s response to last week’s riots.

Angela Merkel seems unlikely to roll out further stimulus for the German economy in the near future.

Ireland will provide a €10 billion bailout fund for its banks.

Dozens of antigovernment protesters were arrested in Russia.

Middle East and Africa

A six-month ceasefire in Gaza comes to an end this week. Hamas’s leadership may be divided over whether to extend it.

Meeting in Algeria, OPEC countries are considering cutting oil production by up to 2 million barrels a day

Somalia’s president fired his prime minister.

Americas

Arrested New York “hedge fund” manager Bernard Madoff may have pulled off the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Some of the world’s top banks were exposed to the scam.

Cuban leader Raul Castro made his first overseas trip to see his “nephew” Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

A group of Russian warships visited Cuba for the first time since the end of the Soviet era.

Today’s Agenda

A new round of anti-government demonstrations are planned in Greece.

Electoral College delegates meet to officially elect Barack Obama.

Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Joshua Keating is a former associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

Read More On George W. Bush

More from Foreign Policy

Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.
Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.

Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak

Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.

Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.
Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.

Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage

The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.

A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.
A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.

The West’s False Choice in Ukraine

The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.

Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi
Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi

The Masterminds

Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.