THE SOLE ISSUE

Posted at 9:26 a.m. ET:

Everyone by now has seen the tape of an Iraqi journalist throwing his shoes at President Bush in Baghdad.  Some news operations are repeating it with apparent glee.

But Ralph Peters has a terrific take on the incident, in today's New York Post:

When an Arab heel aimed those shoes at our president, it showed the world the extent to which Bush loosened the laces of Middle Eastern tyranny.

If an Arab journalist had thrown his shoes at Saddam Hussein or one of his guests, the tosser would've been beaten, then tortured, then killed. Today's Iraqi government is considering whether the man should be charged under the state's democratically validated Constitution.

Bush won. Even if shoe-thrower Muntadar al-Zaidi (who works for an Egypt-based media outfit) walks out in his stocking feet and becomes a hero to dead-enders, he unwittingly showed what a great thing has been accomplished in Iraq.

And...

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.

But the interest of the Bush bashers in human freedom is minimal.

The media have been having a ball with the video of the Great Baghdad Shoe Toss. But they've missed the point completely. Our sacrifices let that pathetic reporter muster the courage to hurl his shoes at our president: He knew he could get away with it.

Brothers and sisters, the world has changed since 2003.

And...

Terrorists will still be able to explode the occasional bomb 10 years from now, but daily life for most Iraqis has returned to commonplace concerns. The economy's booming and democracy, messy but vibrant, appears to have put down roots.

Al Qaeda lost hugely, Muqtada al-Sadr's star is waning, the Baathists are finished and Iraqis are taking ever more responsibility for their own security. The recent status-of-forces agreement between Washington and Baghdad - which the media sought to portray as a US defeat - shows a country on the mend and gaining confidence.

Finally...

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!

Yes indeed.  The president can be justly criticized for many things, but, as his tenure ends, we should recall the good things he has done.  It's sad that most of our news outlets will refuse to do so.  That is to their discredit, and will only hasten the demise of some of them. 

It's clear from his comments that Mr. Bush sees himself as another Harry Truman.  It's hard to know.  There are similarities - the stubbornness, the pursuit of grand goals, the poor relations with the press, the low approval ratings.  We won't be able to provide a clear assessment of the Bush 43 presidency for years.  For now, though, I do think we can reject the irrational hatred to which the man has been subjected.  It has not helped the country, the media, or the search for truth.

December 16, 2008.