Brilliant, Iraq has won the Asian Football Cup by beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Jakarta.
Hero of the day was Captain Younis Mahmoud whose header in the 71st minute sealed victory for the Iraqis.
But barbarism is yet to be defeated. As Iraq progressed through the tournament and normal people celebrated their nation's victories the ever present sowers of human misery were doing their thing.
Still things have improved, as this 2002 article from ESPN on the perils of being an Iraqi sportsman when Uday Hussein was president of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee reminds us.
All in all a good result for Iraq and sport in general.
Yeah, I remember a few years ago a Kiwi sports presenter made a little offhand comment about how well the Iraqi soccer team was doing in some competition. Something like, "I guess the boiling oil wasn't actually helping their game!" or something. Thought, "Jeez, that's pushing the line for 6pm news banter."
Posted by: Ryan Sproull | July 30, 2007 at 11:08 AM
What's better, the captain showed his love of the US after the match:
"I want America to go out," he said. "Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn't invade Iraq and hopefully it will be over soon."
Mind you, none of the Iraqis on the team actually live in the country. As Mahmoud puts it:
"If I go back with the team, anybody could kill me or try to hurt me.
"One of my closest friends, they (the authorities) came to arrest him, and for one year neither me nor his family knew where he is."
Some people just don't appreciate being "liberated".
Posted by: John A | July 30, 2007 at 02:06 PM
John,
Some people just hate freedom because they are Islamofascist feminazis.
Posted by: Ryan Sproull | July 30, 2007 at 02:10 PM
Actually, it's kinda sad that the war supporters have so little left to grab at. I almost feel sorry for them.
Posted by: John A | July 30, 2007 at 03:41 PM