Hotly following on George Bushes visit to Bagdad, the UK’s Gordon Brown is not to be outdone by his US counterpart, with his own visit to the capital. What these two political allies wanted to achieve was anybody’s guess.

It seems that Bush was doing a last bit of travel on company costs. Whiling the time away, so to speak.  Although one wonders what on earth possessed him to visit a country where his actions have created such unbelievable hardship, distress and sorrow for the general population.

Was he going to gloat? Wave the victory flag? At least he didn’t pitch up in a military aircraft waving a sign with ‘Mission Accomplished’ on it.  What mission and what accomplishment one asks oneself. Did he visit to rub noses in the blood, guts and tears of Iraqis?

In all probability, and if one were to believe the newscasters, G W Bush visited Iraq to say good-bye and to receive the heroic victor medal. Instead he received a pair of shoes thrown at him by a reporter. Besides a fabulous video and YouTube opportunity, showing a surprisingly agile president ducking in time to avoid getting hit, we also learn that the throwing of shoes is considered the height of an insult in Iraqi society.

We further hear that Iraq has learnt well in its time under US occupation and has taken on board acceptable US police behaviour. The reporter was beaten and according to news reports suffered several broken ribs. Another instance of the practice of quiet persuasion.

The question then on everybody’s lips should be whether Gordon Brown will also be accosted with a pair of size ten shoes accompanied by a mouthful of accusations. If one were to believe that this is a sign of extreme disdain of the person getting the order of the boot extended or OBE for short, then Brown should be in line for similar treatment.  Shouldn’t he?