Iraqi journalist throws shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during Baghdad visit

Iraqi journalist throws shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during Baghdad visit

On December 14, 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw two shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. The incident occurred while Bush was visiting Iraq near the end of his presidency, alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Bush was not injured, and the shoes missed their target.

Al-Zaidi shouted statements condemning the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as he threw the shoes, a gesture widely recognized in the Middle East as a sign of deep insult. He was immediately subdued by security personnel, detained, and later sentenced by an Iraqi court to prison time, though he was released early.

The shoe-throwing incident became a global symbol of anger over the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was authorized by the Bush administration. Various studies and organizations have estimated Iraqi civilian deaths resulting from the war and its aftermath, with figures ranging from several hundred thousand to over one million, depending on methodology and time period examined.

The invasion of Iraq was justified by U.S. officials on claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a security threat. No stockpiles of such weapons were found following the invasion, and the war led to prolonged instability, insurgency, and sectarian violence in the country.