Hitting someone with a shoe is a deep insult in the Arab world, signifying that the person being struck is as low as the dirt underneath the sole of a shoe. Compounding the insult were Mr. Zaidi’s words as he hurled his footwear at President Bush: “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” While calling someone a dog is universally harsh, among Arabs, who traditionally consider dogs unclean, those words were an even stronger slight.
It's an even stronger insult in Arabic lands, is it, to hurl your shoes at a head of state and call him a dog to his face? Are you sure?
Thank you for explaining it then, New York Times! Because over here, that might resonate in a variety of ways, right? It's not so clear on this side of the big water. Things are somehow clearer over there, in Iraq.
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