Posted on 08/22/2004 4:35:47 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
Saturday 21 August 2004, 11:54 Makka Time, 8:54 GMT
Iraqi football players, who have performed exceptionally well at the Olympics, are cautioning President George Bush not to use their success in his re-election campaign, according to the US monthly Sports Illustrated.
US media has touted the success of Iraq's under-23 team as it beat Portugal 4-2 and Costa Rica 2-0 and sailed through to the quarterfinals.
However, the sudden interest in the team - particularly from the US Republican re-election campaign platform - has irked some of its members.
"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign," Iraqi player Salih Sadir told SI.com.
"He can find another way to advertise himself."
Sadir has so far scored two goals for the team.
But some players went further: substitute Ahmad Manajid, who played as a midfielder in Wednesday's match against Morocco (1-2) told the monthly sports magazine "How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women?"
"He has committed so many crimes."
Manajid went on to say "I want to defend my home. If a stranger invades America and the people resist, does that mean they are terrorists?"
"Everyone [in Falluja] has been labelled a terrorist. These are all lies. Falluja people are some of the best people in Iraq."
According to Sports Illustrated, one of Manajid's cousin was a resistance fighter who was killed by US occupation forces. He allegedly told SI.com that he would have become a resistance fighter had he not been on the Olympic team.
Iraq's second coach, who filled the gap left behind when German manager Bernd Stange left the team due to security concerns, told SI.com that he believed US occupation forces destroyed everything in his country.
"My problems are not with the American people," Adnan Hamad told the sports monthly.
"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 [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?"
Big time bump!
All I can think is these athletes world is incredibly insular and controlled. In spite of the media bias, there have been a few reports of Iraqis gratefully cheering us on
for liberating them.
Shove it Al Jazeera! Bush don't need no stinky Iraq soccer team, to help him win the Presidential Election!
That's because of the LSM. I have it on authority of a family member who recently served there that the people are extremely grateful.
I do not know when I have been so angry.
President Bush represents the American people with whom they supposedly have no problem. He represents the men whose blood was and is being spilled to prevent Saddam and Sons from torturing the Iraqi Olympians.
If he misses his elite status perhaps we can get him some of it in Palestine where he can spill his life for the virgin class.
Those people deserve not one drop of American blood any more than one penny of American currency!
I would gladly let Iran take them over and arm Israel for their own defense.
I hope this revolts Americans thoroughly.
I'd be curious to know what the others think, although I suspect most of them have the same sentiments.
Or, of they don't, leftist SI wouldn't print what they said.
After all, they had to rely on a subsititue player for their harshest quotes.
They used to get tortured when they lost and money when they won. They're just PO'd that there is no cash windfall for them this go-round.
You have to remember that the Iraqi coaching staff, and those athletes that did well and were not tortured by Uday, would have been part of the Baathist elite. The U.S. destroyed their power over the rest of Iraqi society. Too bad.
Katarina Witt had a similar attitude after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
However, in her case, I would have volunteered to sympathize with her and comfort her over her loss. ;-)
President Bush? Sure gets around a lot doesn't he? He's either in Crawford "Vacationing" or in Falluja committing atrocities. It's a wonder he finds the time to campaign.
Thank you! What a bunch of freakin ingrates.
Guess we shouldn't be surprised. Bush has been fighting to protect Americans from terrorism, including creeps like Michael Moore.
I think the biggest mistake we made in Iraq is assuming that everyone in the world wants western-style democracy. The lesson, as it turns out, it that some people are in dire need of being oppressed.
Can anyone make sense of this? Weren't these jackasses being tortured by Uday and Kusay whenever they lost in the past? Why are they against the man who has allowed them to lead more civilized lives?
I think the biggest mistake we made in Iraq is assuming that everyone in the world wants western-style democracy. The lesson, as it turns out, it that some people are in dire need of being oppressed.
They're going to be at the RNC with their own banner, unlike at the DNC.
I hope that issue of SI is circulated widely to every American soldier in Iraq.
I want someone to conduct a poll, "What do Americans think of Iraqis?" I,, for one, have learned to truly detest them and I don't give a flying fig what becomes of the creeps. I'm sure I'm not the only American who feels that way.
AT the RNC? how very unfortunate...Ah well, may be they'll see the errors of their ways... right /s
The problem with Arab men is that they're all macho bravado, but no brains. A deadly combination. Their pride is hurt that they had to be saved by us. I say screw em. Let Saddam back. I think these bastards deserve him.
Ok, and I realize that this coach perhaps doesn't speak for everyone, and that this comes for SI, so maybe there's more positive quotes left out, but I hear that and just shake my head. In any case, I'm still going to root for them, the country needs a win.
Gratitude is one of the most fleeting emotions.
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