US President insulted in Baghdad

The US President George W Bush ducked two shoes that were thrown at him, at a press conference in Bagdhad, Bloomberg reports.

One of the shoes sailed over the President’s head.

They were accompanied by an insult, in Arabic, which, in translation, said “this is a farewell kiss, dog.”

In Arab culture, throwing shoes is a sign of serious disrespect.

The man who threw the shoes was wrestled to the ground.

He was among a group of journalists.

President Bush, whose term now has barely a month to run, declared that he was not hurt in the incident.

“I’m OK,” Bush said.

“All I can report is it is a size 10,” he added.

The President also described the incident as an expression of free speech, in Iraq’s democracy.

He was making a farewell visit to Iraq.

President Bush said American troops there still have more work to do.

“The war is not over,” he said.

But he said it is “decisively on its way to being won.”