- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Bush 'shoe attack' leads to explosion of online games

Subscribe
Online games inspired by the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at U.S. President George Bush in Baghdad have taken the Internet by storm.
MOSCOW, December 18 (RIA Novosti) - Online games inspired by the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at U.S. President George Bush in Baghdad have taken the Internet by storm.

Ever since Muntazer al-Zaidi, a correspondent for the Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya TV, threw both his shoes at the outgoing U.S. leader on Sunday, online games have begun to spring up giving players the chance to succeed where the Iraqi journalists failed. (Bush comes under Iraqi "shoe attack"- Video) 

From the relatively sophisticated to the simple, the games have proven a worldwide hit. One of the most popular is called "Sock and Awe" a pun on the U.S. "Shock and Awe" military doctrine.

Zaidi's actions were a protest against the U.S.'s actions in Iraq. U.S.-led forces invaded the country in 2003 to topple the dictator Saddam Hussein. According to some estimates, over one million Iraqi civilians have died in violence in the country since then.

The journalist was detained and later handed over to the Iraqi military. His brother told the Al Jazeera news channel that Zaidi has been "severely injured" while in custody. He could face up to 15 years in jail on charges of attempting to assassinate a foreign leader.

Demonstrators subsequently rallied for his release in Baghdad, the southern Shiite dominated Basra, and the holy city of Najaf, where some reports said that shoes were thrown at a U.S. convoy. Showing the soles of shoes is considered a grave insult in Arabic culture.

Zaidi's actions have encapsulated the rage felt at Bush and the U.S. in much of the Arab world, and a number of Middle Eastern channels have shown nonstop footage of the incident. There have also been some more bizarre reactions to the attack.

In Egypt, a father has offered Zaidi his "beloved" daughter in marriage, national media have reported. Saad Guuma said he was deeply impressed by the actions of the journalist. His daughter, 20-year-old Amal, has reportedly said she would be "honored" to marry Zaidi.

A Saudi businessman has also offered $10 million for just one of the shoes, Saudi television said on Tuesday.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала