A Giant Shoe in Honor of the Iraqi Journalist Hero!

The shoe was built by the sculptor Bagdadi Laith al-Ameri and is exposed in Tikrit, some 120 miles north of Baghdad, where the deceased dictator Saddam Hussein used to rule. Measuring close to 10 feet in length and 8 in width, this giant footwear actually hosts a tree, and therefore acts as a giant tree pot. The statue has been placed in the garden of the Children Foundation (an Iraqi organization caring for the children who were orphaned during the havoc that has ravaged Iraq since the U.S. interference in March 2003). A 400 strong crowd gathered to celebrate this act of peace and compassion.

"This sculpture is not meant to represent a political position by any party or organization," mentioned Chaha al-Joubouri, director of the Foundation. Another official of the Foundation mentioned that it was simply a present to the journalist's family as Muntadar al-Zaidi has become a national inspiration since the day he has shown to the world, in the name of his country, all the courage he could munster during that now famous conference call.

On  December 14th, the Iraqi journalist had suddenly raised to his feet while the President Bush and the Iraqi Prime Minister were getting ready to answer questions at the end of the conference, and had screamed «This is a farewell kiss, you dog» before throwing both his shoes at the head of Mr. Bush.

The hero is still in prison, and has no clue as to when he will be released. His trial at the Central Criminal Courts in Iraq has been postponed and no dates have been given so far as to his hearing.