In a surprise weekend visit to Iraq President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki officially signed the status-of-forces agreement that calls on U.S. forces to withdraw by 2011. The president's visit was supposed to highlight to relative calm of Iraq but instead may best be known for the shoes hurled at Bush immediately following the signing. While neither shoe actually hit the president, reaction in Iraq is mixed with the Iraqi government condemning the act but many citizens marching in the street in support. The visit also comes as two new reports that blame the Bush administration for detainee abuse and the largely failed reconstruction of Iraq. The first 3 minutes of the video shows Bush's recent trip and include footage of the shoe throwing; then two experts discuss the lasting implications of the Bush legacy in Iraq. Quotes "The war is not yet over, but with the conclusion of these agreements and the courage of the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi troops, and American troops, and civilian personnel, it is decisively on its way to being won." -George W Bush, President of the United States "He deserves to be hit with more than one or two shoes. Who told him to come?" -Rahim Hassan, Iraqi Citizen "I deem it unnecessary. This thing is unjustifiable. It is incorrect style. We are not in a war state. One can give his opinion in other ways." -Fadhil Radhi, Iraqi Citizen Warm Up Questions 1. How long has the Iraq war been going on? 2. What is the Iraq war about? Discussion Questions 1. What do you think of the man who threw shoes at the President? Why do you think he did it? 2. How would you feel if this happened to Barack Obama while he was in Iraq? 3. How do you think President Bush feels about the shoe incident? 4. Neither of the shoes hit their intended target, do you think you would feel differently about the incident if they did? 5. Hitting another person with the sole of the shoe is a deep insult in Muslim culture; research it's history and meaning. Additional Resources Read this transcript NYTimes Slideshow: Demonstrations Follow Shoe Incident Read the Status of Forces Agreement