Posted on 08/24/2004 6:26:07 AM PDT by M 91 u2 K
Members of the Iraqi Olympic soccer team branded US President George Bush a “criminal” and called for American troops to pull out of the war-torn country.
Speaking after winning their group stage at the Games in Greece, one player said he would take up arms against US troops in his country.
And the team attacked Mr Bush for running re-election campaign adverts featuring the Iraqi team.
“Iraq as a team does not want Mr Bush to use us for the presidential campaign,” said midfielder Salih Sadir. “He can find another way to advertise himself.”
Sadir was angered at Mr Bush’s adverts, which show pictures of the Afghan and Iraqi flags with the words: “At this Olympics there will be two more free nations – and two fewer terrorist regimes.”
“We don’t wish for the presence of Americans in our country. We want them to go away,” said Sadir, aged 21, whose home town of Najaf has been battered by the war.
Another star player, Ahmed Manajid, aged 22, said of Mr Bush: “How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women? He has committed so many crimes.”
Manajid, from Fallujah, said he would be fighting US troops right now if he were not at the Olympics.
“I want to defend my home. If a stranger invades America and the people resist, does that mean they are terrorists?
“Everyone (in Fallujah) has been labelled a terrorist. These are all lies. Fallujah people are some of the best people in Iraq.”
In an interview with the US magazine Sports Illustrated, the team coach Adnan Hamad told of the ongoing violence in his homeland.
“My problems are not with the American people. They are with what America has done in Iraq: destroy everything.
“The American army has killed so many people in Iraq. What is freedom when I go to the stadium and there are shootings on the road?”
The team was glad that Iraq’s former Olympic committee head Uday Hussein, who was responsible for the serial torture of Iraqi athletes, was no longer in power. He was killed in a firefight with US forces after the invasion.
A spokesman for Mr Bush defended the war on Iraq and the campaign adverts.
“The ad simply talks about President Bush’s optimism and how democracy has triumphed over terror,” the spokesman said.
The Iraqi soccer team has been one of the sensations of the Games, winning its group, despite a 2-1 defeat to Morocco in its latest game.
The team will go on to play Australia in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
what a bunch of miserable ingrates.
Results of Michael Moore and Moveon.org.
I'm really glad they are so greatful for their freedom./sarcasm
The fact that these Iraqi athletes can even say ANYTHING AT ALL is a testiment to the liberation of Iraq.
Too bad we can't raise Uday from the dead for a little "motivation session" with these worthless arsewipes.
Go Australia!
Looks like the democrat wishful wetdreams about Iraq have come true. These people really don't want freedom.
*shakes head*
Anyone got any quotes from these losers .... regarding how they felt about 'all the people' that were killed by Saddam? Funny how not a single word about he, and his sons, came up.
Here's my guess ... mostly Sunni muslims are on this team.
Looks like the democrat wishful wetdreams about Iraq have come true. These people really don't want freedom.
*shakes head*
This story originated in SI more than a week ago...it's just being repeated over and over by other media outlets.
You'd think they'd try to get someone other than than one of the backups and a coach to spew against Bush.
Are they the only ones?
Screw these miserable ungrateful roaches. If it were not for preventing the spread of militant Islam in the area, I would say we should tell these people we are leaving, giving Saddam back to them, and hope they have a nice life again. These jerks sound just like our liberals.
Better yet, I think we should export some of our liberals to their country. Now that would be a weapon of mass destruction and dirty bomb.
Ok, I'm not pulling for these jerks anymore. I guess the irony is lost on these bozos that if it were not for the Americans, they would be beaten by Saddam's son for not coming home with a medal.
You gotta love the one guy too, who in one sentence says he would be fighting Americans in Fallujah if he weren't in Athens, and in the next sentence claims the people of Fallujah are good people.
I hope these ungrateful dorks lose.
Does this mean these a-holes miss Uday?
These people are so stupid they couldn't find their butts with both hands(okay, that's mite indelicate...but it's heartfelt)!
Too bad Uday is taking a dirt nap, they need a better coach.Bush/Cheney 2004
I think the reporter forgot to interview some other members of the team.
Oh but now they want "freedom". The freedom to take out Americans. Guess they got tired to abusing their own.
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