The alleged journalist (at a minor TV station) in Baghadad is in jail today awaiting a possible criminal prosecution for throwing two shoes at President Bush during his farewell visit.

As Move America Forward travels across the country sponsoring care packages for our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting for the right of an Iraqi journalist and the Iraqi people to democratically disagree, it is infuriating to see this man disrespect the man directly responsible for their liberation.

The family of the shoeman paints a complex portrait of his background here.

BAGHDAD – The Iraqi TV reporter who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush was kidnapped once by militants and, separately, detained briefly by the U.S. military. Over time, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year-old unmarried Shiite, came to hate both the U.S. military occupation and Iran's interference in Iraq, his family told The Associated Press on Monday.

Al-Zeidi's act of defiance Sunday transformed an obscure reporter from a minor TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with the nearly six-year U.S. presence here, but also fearful that their country will fall under Iran's influence once the Americans leave.

Several thousand people demonstrated in Baghdad and other cities to demand al-Zeidi's release. The attack was the talk of the town in coffee shops, business offices and even schools — and a subject across much of the Arab world.

The defiance of the Arab street is predictable, but the Iraqi government needs to slap the shoe slapper with some jail time. And force him to meet with Debbie Lee, whose son Marc Alan Lee, died for his freedom from Saddam Hussein's murderous regime.

Debbie is scheduled to appear on Neil Cavuto's show on Fox News Network shortly.