This is a response to Chris Matthews's interview of an Arab female journalist about the shoe throwing of an Iraqi journalist directed at George Bush. He called it a joke and asked why don't they verbally state their opposition instead of reacting violently like they do.


Chris, I love your show and watch it faithfully. I must take issue with you about the shoe throwing episode of the Iraqi journalist at George Bush. Do you really think that the Iraqi people who oppose an occupier and an invader under false pretenses have any hope of vociferously uttering disagreement of US policy? How would we feel if we were god forbid invaded by a foreign country with massive weaponry equipped with shock and awe policies and then stay uninvited in our country for who knows how long?

That journalist was making an insulting statement loud and clear by Arab standards NOT American standards, the only way he could and be observed and heard by the entire world. Bush was right he wanted attention and attention he got. He wanted attention to shout that he hated the US violent invasion and occupation of his country. He hated an invasion which was DIRECTLY responsible for the sectarian violence that followed. He hated the ruination of what stability that country had, and he hated most probably the elevation of Iran. Without US interference, for better or worse, Sadam, who knew how to control that country, would probably still be in power. It, indeed, may not have been heaven but may have been a hell of a lot better then what ensued after his fall. Better is a relative term.

So which is worse to that journalist, Sadam's hammer-like rule or the US invasion which killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, sent millions into exile, decimated and tortured families creating what is now really a failed state? You said what the journalist did is a joke to the American people? I don't think so and I do not think it is a joke in the Arab world. It is far too serious to be a joke and certainly it is NO joke to me!