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On Surprise Iraq Trip, Bush Says War Not Over, Ducks Shoes

The Associated Press

An Iraqi man throws a shoe at President George W. Bush during a new conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Sunday in Baghdad. A man threw two shoes at Bush, one after another, during the news conference. Bush ducked both throws, and neither man was hit.

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The Associated Press

Published: December 14, 2008

Updated: 12/14/2008 08:05 pm

IRAQ - On a surprise visit to Iraq, President George W. Bush is calling the six-year conflict there hard but necessary work.

At a Baghdad news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Bush declared "the war is not over," but added "it is decisively on its way to being won." He said while there's more
work to be done, Iraq's new security agreement with the U.S. puts
the country on a solid footing.

Bush's national security adviser Stephen Hadley says the trip is proof that the U.S.-Iraq relationship is changing "with Iraqis rightfully exercising greater sovereignty" and the U.S. "in an
increasingly subordinate role."

Despite heavy security, Bush got a reminder of the intense opposition to his policies at the news conference. A man identified as a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television threw two shoes at
him.

Bush ducked both throws and neither he nor al-Maliki was hit. Security officials swarmed the man and dragged him away.

Bush later joked about the incident, saying all he could report was that it was a size 10.

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