Monday, December 15, 2008



A fitting end

Today, (soon to be former) US President George W Bush went to Iraq for what was supposed to be his "victory lap", a last tour over his bloodstained legacy before he leaves office. It was supposed to be a triumph, instead it descended into farce when an Iraqi journalist at the press conference threw his shoes at him.

(The BBC video of this (linked above) is particularly good, and the interview afterwards makes it clear how deeply Bush just doesn't get it).

It's a fitting end to Bush's presidency, and one which will be remembered. Every documentary on his career is now going to end with a slow-motion shot of him ducking flying footwear flung by one of the people he is supposed to have "liberated".