Iraqi Soccer Team tells Bush to get the fuck off them

[Sinister Rouge]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/writers/08/19/iraq/index.html

[UndefinedBoy]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/writers/08/19/iraq/index.html

Well ain't that something. I can't say I'm all too surprised, though. Maybe some of our conservative friends have comments?

[venus/bacchus]

If they would make a comment like that against Saddam, they would have been killed. If they didn't win that game, they would have been tortured. If they didn't join the insurgency, they wouldn't have had fire return to them. Tell me they aren't free now.

Bush is using what he's done in office in his political ads. God forbid someone advertise what they've accomplished.

[Sinister Rouge]

If they would make a comment like that against Saddam, they would have been killed. If they didn't win that game, they would have been tortured. If they didn't join the insurgency, they wouldn't have had fire return to them. Tell me they aren't free now.

Bush is using what he's done in office in his political ads. God forbid someone advertise what they've accomplished.

It is disrespectful to use an unwanted person or people to sell your political campaign. Bush doesn't give a fuck. This team may be glad that Uday is gone, but they also despise Bush.

[venus/bacchus]

It is disrespectful to use an unwanted person or people to sell your political campaign. Bush doesn't give a fuck. This team may be glad that Uday is gone, but they also despise Bush.
While it may be slightly disrespectful, it's overblown. Nowhere in that ad is the Iraqi soccer team saying they love Bush. He's only showing what he's done for the country, and I think he should have the right to show what he's accomplished in office.

[ohlookitspaul]

how interesting...

[iamthebullgod]

While it may be slightly disrespectful, it's overblown. Nowhere in that ad is the Iraqi soccer team saying they love Bush. He's only showing what he's done for the country, and I think he should have the right to show what he's accomplished in office.

Right on, brother....:)

[yeat182]

this is ridiculous, its a positive ad that doesn't mention or degrade the kerry camp and yet people still find something to complain about. this is how all political ads should be.

[KGRGTheDon]

PSHHHH. Political ads are ALWAYS tacky. It's always one person bashing another or a candidate using a platform to speak off of. This one just happens to be at the Olympics.

[worldstheory]

"To a man, members of the Iraqi Olympic delegation say they are glad that former Olympic committee head Uday Hussein, who was responsible for the serial torture of Iraqi athletes and was killed four months after the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003, is no longer in power." [emphasis mine]

The ingratitude... I'm speechless.

[open mind]

yeah like our presence in iraq has only reaped benefits for everyone.........

[richter915]

ya exactly...to them I doubt Bush is any better than Hussein cause when the iraqi team returns home...they won't be welcomed with open arms...well...they will be welcome with a differnt kind of arms...if you know what I mean.

[cantnokdahustle]

The ingratitude... I'm speechless.


I don't believe they asked for our guns or our pity!

[yeat182]

ya exactly...to them I doubt Bush is any better than Hussein cause when the iraqi team returns home...they won't be welcomed with open arms...well...they will be welcome with a differnt kind of arms...if you know what I mean.


are you serious? bush is no better than hussein? when this team returns home they will return with a medal and be national heroes, not tortured and murdered for missing shots or letting goals.

[Averagekid15]

i think that bush has no right to act like he's a hero since he went into to their countries, bombed the crap out of them killing innocent people in the process and leaving many homeless, and keeping american troops their long after they're needed. that said he did rid them of saddam but after we caught him we should have got our troops out of there and left them be. they don't want us in their country, and bush is a moron.

[richter915]

are you serious? bush is no better than hussein? when this team returns home they will return with a medal and be national heroes, not tortured and murdered for missing shots or letting goals.
what? I mean, you say that Bush is doing the wrong thing and killing innocents. One of the players said he'd lost family and friends cause of Bush who were still alive under Hussein...Bush may be better than Hussein...but he's still killing a lot of Iraqis who don't deserve it.

[yeat182]

i think that bush has no right to act like he's a hero since he went into to their countries, bombed the crap out of them killing innocent people in the process and leaving many homeless, and keeping american troops their long after they're needed. that said he did rid them of saddam but after we caught him we should have got our troops out of there and left them be. they don't want us in their country, and bush is a moron.

that would have been idiotic let alone disastorous.

[yeat182]

what? I mean, you say that Bush is doing the wrong thing and killing innocents. One of the players said he'd lost family and friends cause of Bush who were still alive under Hussein...Bush may be better than Hussein...but he's still killing a lot of Iraqis who don't deserve it.


he's also allowed all of them to live in a free country. yes, some innocent people have died, but they died in an effort to free them from a evil regime that killed innocent people for fun. comparing the two isn't even imaginable.

[richter915]

he's also allowed all of them to live in a free country. yes, some innocent people have died, but they died in an effort to free them from a evil regime that killed innocent people for fun. comparing the two isn't even imaginable.
some innocent people have died? try between 11,000 and 13,000...I read that from a pretty credible site...forgot the name...if I remember, I'll give you.

And the innocents who died...I mean...these are people stuck in crossfire and whatnot. I think the US had to stay (dug itself into a deep hole) but the constant fighting should not continue...all the struggling peace talk just to settle for Najaf is insane.

[yeat182]

some innocent people have died? try between 11,000 and 13,000...I read that from a pretty credible site...forgot the name...if I remember, I'll give you.

And the innocents who died...I mean...these are people stuck in crossfire and whatnot. I think the US had to stay (dug itself into a deep hole) but the constant fighting should not continue...all the struggling peace talk just to settle for Najaf is insane.


the majority of those death are because of the terrorists not the coalition. and just to settle for najaf? that is one of only a few places where there is serious fighting, the majority of the country is fairly secure, the only trouble are a few random terrorist attacks...hardly the fault of the coalition.

[cantnokdahustle]

"We only drop friendly bombs. They hurt only those who are a threat, and protect those who believe in freedom. jesus christ don't yous liberal fucks know anything about science."

[UndefinedBoy]

The ingratitude... I'm speechless.

Oh me too! How could these men possibly think to complain about being used as a re-election tool for a man they hate! They should be grateful that they can return home as heroes...free men that are as free as everyone else to run from the stray gunfire that is now commonplace in their homes. Ungrateful bastards.

[richter915]

the majority of those death are because of the terrorists not the coalition. and just to settle for najaf? that is one of only a few places where there is serious fighting, the majority of the country is fairly secure, the only trouble are a few random terrorist attacks...hardly the fault of the coalition.
so...all followers of al-sadr are terrorists to you? Also, the terrorists in Iraq are probably Americans...ya using violence to instill fear in others...the US has done a good job at that in Iraq I'd say.

Just cause the majority of Iraq is safe does not justify shit...the fighting is continuing in Najaf, and it's pretty bad.

[richter915]

Oh me too! How could these men possibly think to complain about being used as a re-election tool for a man they hate! They should be grateful that they can return home as heroes...free men that are as free as everyone else to run from the stray gunfire that is now commonplace in their homes. Ungrateful bastards.
haha...so true, so true

[yeat182]

so...all followers of al-sadr are terrorists to you? Also, the terrorists in Iraq are probably Americans...ya using violence to instill fear in others...the US has done a good job at that in Iraq I'd say.

Just cause the majority of Iraq is safe does not justify shit...the fighting is continuing in Najaf, and it's pretty bad.

yes, al-sadr are terrorists. and no they are not americans. and yes, the fact that the majority of iraq is safe does justify shit, prior to the war, no one in Iraq was safe.

finally, the fighting in Najaf is continuing because of al-sadr, and his refusal to negotiate a peace. not because the americans want to kill a bunch of innocent people. that is his cause, not ours.

[richter915]

yes, al-sadr are terrorists. and no they are not americans. and yes, the fact that the majority of iraq is safe does justify shit, prior to the war, no one in Iraq was safe.

finally, the fighting in Najaf is continuing because of al-sadr, and his refusal to negotiate a peace. not because the americans want to kill a bunch of innocent people. that is his cause, not ours.
Well, until all of Iraq is peaceful like many other democratic nations, I can't agree with you. It's like you're saying one person's death doesn't matter...but a thousand lives does.

How hard is the US trying to negotiate peace with al-sadr...I'm aware that al-sadr is reluctant considering all rebel groups of any kind never want to settle for something they don't believe in (look at pretty much any revolution)...hopefully the fighting in Najaf will cease soon...but fighting there does not mean that a nation should celebrate it's safety.

[xnotedgex]

when did iraq magically become a safe place to live? last i heard, there were random killiings and kidnapping happening frequently all over the place. last i heard, people were afraid to go to work. last i heard, if you weren't going to work, you weren't leaving your house.

it's just conservative bullshit that says iraq is a free country...i hope no one actually believes that

[richter915]

exactly...Iraq is a war-torn NATION...not a country with some mild fighting here and there.

has the US death tool surpassed 1000 cause of this war?

[yeat182]

Well, until all of Iraq is peaceful like many other democratic nations, I can't agree with you. It's like you're saying one person's death doesn't matter...but a thousand lives does.

How hard is the US trying to negotiate peace with al-sadr...I'm aware that al-sadr is reluctant considering all rebel groups of any kind never want to settle for something they don't believe in (look at pretty much any revolution)...hopefully the fighting in Najaf will cease soon...but fighting there does not mean that a nation should celebrate it's safety.

why can't they celebrate their freedom? no nation is 100% safe, but the common misconception is that the whole nation is in the same situation as najaf, which is not the case.

[yeat182]

when did iraq magically become a safe place to live? last i heard, there were random killiings and kidnapping happening frequently all over the place. last i heard, people were afraid to go to work. last i heard, if you weren't going to work, you weren't leaving your house.

it's just conservative bullshit that says iraq is a free country...i hope no one actually believes that

same thing happens everyday in america. admittedly there are a few places that are very dangerous and the fighting is still fierce, but that isn't the case everywhere in the country.

[leftcoastenvy2]

Have these people ever heard of the expression "Don't bite the hand that feeds you?" Without Bush or what we did in Iraq, none of these athletes would be where they are right now. George W. Bush didn't HAVE To pay for the athletes to go to the Olympic games, but he did. George Bush can't do anything without someone saying how he's morally bankrupt, or some other slanderous comment. It's become to trend to hate Bush no matter what he does.

[richter915]

same thing happens everyday in america. admittedly there are a few places that are very dangerous and the fighting is still fierce, but that isn't the case everywhere in the country.
ya except in the US random bussiness men aren't kidnapped and threatened to be beheaded if forces don't leave a city...

comparing Iraq to the US...that makes no sense

[ohlookitspaul]

Have these people ever heard of the expression "Don't bite the hand that feeds you?" Without Bush or what we did in Iraq, none of these athletes would be where they are right now. George W. Bush didn't HAVE To pay for the athletes to go to the Olympic games, but he did. George Bush can't do anything without someone saying how he's morally bankrupt, or some other slanderous comment. It's become to trend to hate Bush no matter what he does.
so how was old georgie in bed last night?

[open mind]

If they would make a comment like that against Saddam, they would have been killed. If they didn't win that game, they would have been tortured. If they didn't join the insurgency, they wouldn't have had fire return to them. Tell me they aren't free now.

Bush is using what he's done in office in his political ads. God forbid someone advertise what they've accomplished.
they aren't free now.

[open mind]

he's also allowed all of them to live in a free country. yes, some innocent people have died, but they died in an effort to free them from a evil regime that killed innocent people for fun. comparing the two isn't even imaginable.
free country? if you mean free as in government appointed by us with no real control over their resources and economy i guess they are free.

[yeat182]

free country? if you mean free as in government appointed by us with no real control over their resources and economy i guess they are free.


i mean free as in they aren't ruled by an evil dictator that kills/rapes/tortures his own people for no reason, among other reasons.

[richter915]

i mean free as in they aren't ruled by an evil dictator that kills/rapes/tortures his own people for no reason, among other reasons.
so...technically free. Ya people can argue that any country has trouble starting up when recently liberated...but...most of those countries don't haveto deal with occupation by the strongest army in the world with fighting going on in major cities...Is Iraq happy right now?

[worldstheory]

Oh me too! How could these men possibly think to complain about being used as a re-election tool for a man they hate! They should be grateful that they can return home as heroes...free men that are as free as everyone else to run from the stray gunfire that is now commonplace in their homes. Ungrateful bastards.You will never know what it is like to be tortured for not making goals. You take for granted the fact that the harshest consequence for not playing your best might be a little hostility from your teammates. You have an excuse for not understanding why these people should be in tears with happiness at their newfound freedom.

Assuming that these are the same individuals who comprised the team under Uday Hussein, these people have seen both sides. The only logical explanation I can come up with for this kind of apparent ingratitude is that these individuals are newcomers to the team, and were not part of the team back when it was routinely tortured.

[open mind]

i mean free as in they aren't ruled by an evil dictator that kills/rapes/tortures his own people for no reason, among other reasons.
yeah now we're the ones who kill and abuse innocents, it's a good thing our leaders voted into office.

[Love As Arson]

Have these people ever heard of the expression "Don't bite the hand that feeds you?" Without Bush or what we did in Iraq, none of these athletes would be where they are right now. George W. Bush didn't HAVE To pay for the athletes to go to the Olympic games, but he did. George Bush can't do anything without someone saying how he's morally bankrupt, or some other slanderous comment. It's become to trend to hate Bush no matter what he does.
We gave them freedom. They have the right to say how they feel. Instead of vilifying them for it, we should be happy that they are excercising their basic freedoms.

[UndefinedBoy]

You will never know what it is like to be tortured for not making goals. You take for granted the fact that the harshest consequence for not playing your best might be a little hostility from your teammates. You have an excuse for not understanding why these people should be in tears with happiness at their newfound freedom.

Assuming that these are the same individuals who comprised the team under Uday Hussein, these people have seen both sides. The only logical explanation I can come up with for this kind of apparent ingratitude is that these individuals are newcomers to the team, and were not part of the team back when it was routinely tortured.

I would hardly call their unwillingness to be used as a campaign tool "ingratitude." They don't want to be shown as some trophy to the rest of the world in a re-election tool for a man they don't want to be re-elected. All they're doing is, as Arson said, using the freedoms we gave them. Don't criticize them for it.