Mr. Shoe's brother says he's been beaten by guards.

Muntadar al-Zaidi has allegedly suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding, his older brother, Dargham, told the BBC.

Mr Zaidi threw his shoes at Mr Bush at a news conference, calling him "a dog".

A spokesperson for the Iraqi military says the journalist is in good health and said the allegations were untrue.

It is unclear whether the reporter may have been injured when he was wrestled to the floor at the news conference, or at a later point.

Well, if the Beeb says its true, it must be right?

In fact, the AP says that Mr. Shoe's brother isn't sure whether the injuries - if there are any - occurred because of Iraqi cruelty or because he was kicking and screaming like the deranged idiot he showed himself to be:

Durgham Zaidi was unable to say whether Muntazer had sustained the injuries while being overpowered during Sunday's protest against Bush's visit to Baghdad or while in custody later.

This story is so thin it's damn near invisible. Of course, this hasn't stopped the left from wailing in anguish over the fate of Mr. Shoe. A single, dubious, anti-American source makes a serious accusation and not only does the Beeb print it but lefties are short stroking their way to apoplexy in criticizing Bush, Iraq, the war, and every pet hate they've spouted over the last 6 years.

It appears also that a Mahdi Member of Parliament has told the anti-American TV station Mr. Shoe worked for that the fellow has a broken hand. (The Mahdi's were out in full force demonstrating in the street for their guy yesterday).

So just to be clear, let's sum up, shall we? A single source - Mr. Shoe's brother - tells the BBC that his kin is being beaten while in jail. He also admits that could be entirely untrue due to Mr. Shoe's frothing at the mouth exit from the press conference where he forced guards to manhandle him in order to get him away from the president. An anti-American member of parliament says that Mr. Shoe suffered a broken hand (no word on how this occurred - just that he was injured). And based on testimony of people who woud find it extremely advantageous to their political goals to lie through their teeth, the left is in an uproar over Mr. Shoe being "tortured."

What does it say about people who would believe this story over the statement by Iraqis that Mr. Shoe has been unharmed?

The lie is out there and even if it is proved later that Mr. Shoe is none the worse for his stay in an Iraqi jail, it is the lie that people will remember. We have seen this time and time again during the last 6 years and especially during the Israel-Hezb'allah war where the truth was always 24 hours or so behind the lies. We are dealing with people with a sophisticated knowledge of how to spread propaganda and disinformation. Eventually, as in other cases, the truth simply won't matter.