Other than Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, what Arab head of government holds free-wheeling press conferences? “President” Mubarak of Egypt? Assad of Syria? The Saudi king? Qaddafi? If an Arab reporter had “shoed” any other leading Arab ruler during one of their staged events, he would’ve been fortunate to escape with his life.

The only countries in the Middle East where a journalist could survive after such behavior are Iraq, maybe Lebanon – and Israel. Even Jordan doesn’t allow such freedom…

For all of our errors in Iraq, we’ve done a selfless, honorable thing.

Bush deserved better than the indignity of having shoes flipped at him – a serious insult in the Arab world. But the incident’s real message was: Mission accomplished!