US Soldiers Fire 'Above' Students Protesting For Shoe-Thrower, Injuring One

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

(snip)

Iraqis on the street continue to show support for Zaidi, who disrupted a news conference Sunday in Baghdad by Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

University students rallied for Zaidi in Fallujah on Wednesday, drawing the attention of U.S. forces.

Students raised their shoes and threw rocks at American soldiers, who reportedly opened fire above the crowd. Protesters said that indirect fire wounded one student, Zaid Salih. U.S. forces haven't confirmed the account.

"We demonstrated to express our support for Muntathar al Zaidi, but we were surprised with the entrance of the U.S. military," said Ahmed Ismail, one of the protesters. "Unconsciously, we raised our shoes expressing our support for al Zaidi, but they attacked us."

Dr. Thair al Jomaili treated Salih at a hospital and said that he was fine. The doctor said that the bullet went through one of Salih's feet.

Zaidi's family remains proud of him for challenging Bush, said his older brother, Audai al Zaidi.

"The feelings of the family are mixed between happiness and sadness," Audai al Zaidi said. "Happy with what our brother did and sad because of what happened with him after that."

more: http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/941196.html

out of this all right.

If he doesn't, things have a way of destabilizing....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4676449&mesg_id=4676449

Perhaps I should have put "warren" in the subject line to get more views, maybe a comment?

I wonder how long it will be before police/private "security" firms are shooting above the heads of Americans hitting the streets with pitchforks and torches.

where would Zaidi be today if he threw his shoes at Sadam? Hopefully the current govt will just give him a slap on the hand.

He didn't feel personal outrage at Saddam, and he didn't throw his shoes at Saddam. He threw his shoes at chimpy, and has suffered because of it. I, too, hope he is released. It is yet to be seen how it will be handled.

Him, his family and most likely any friends that he had would be kind of dead about now.

kidnapped and beat him and tortured his friends. He may have felt that outrage had he witnessed the indiscriminate killings of innocent people in a village. Sure, Saddam did those things, too. I am not defending him, not by any means.

But, that is not what he witnessed. He was in Iraq during the American Occupation. And, in our name, he witnessed those horrors. He very well may have thrown his shoes at Saddam had he been subject to his abuses, and he may have suffered worse punishments, which is yet to be seen. But, aren't we supposed to be better than Saddam? Not just in our punishments, but our behaviors?

Saddam is not quite the yardstick I want my country measured by.

Retired AF Dem

If Saddam Hussein had been alive and president in Iraq today, mr Zaidi would never have been doing this in the first place.. Just plain because in Husain's time you don't live long after trowing a shoe at the president.. Not that mr Zaidi would dear to trow a shoe on the "dear president"... Not if he had his life, and family in his mind..

It was maybe a stunt, a little stupid stunt, but still a stunt where the ordinary Iraqi could tell the "liberator" of their country what they was feeling about him.. And the funny about it, is that mr Bush doesn't see to understand what the trowing of a shoe or two really meant.. I know mr Bush are not the smartest man in the world, but this is just stupid how i acted after this.. Yoking as it was something he was used to...

And can you really blame mr Zaidi, tortured by his "liberators" long before this, and with a ruined country it would take at least two decades to rebuild, to prewar Iraq of 2003?.. If some had bombed US to the 3 world country like Iraq are today, Haven't some millions of angry american given the Chance, trow both shoes and hand grenades on the real enemy...?.. Would YOU have be nice, if you had been beaten, tortured by your new masters. And then just be free for a short time before the President of your occupying nation have coming to Washington DC, to claim big success for the liberation of US from the evil dictatorship of some one?.. I would guess you, and most american would be red steaming with anger...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language.

I think both sides were wrong in what they did. And a tad stupid.

Our forces have been shooting lead at them for five years. They have some leeway to chuck some rocks back. Might not be the right choice of action, but it's not one I'm going to hold against them.

Gosh, and Dana Perino thought it was so hopeful that Iraqis could express themselves. Never mind. Speak your peace, you get fired on is the rule now.