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Iraqi Olympic Soccer Team Gives Bush the Boot

by Open-Publishing - Saturday 21 August 2004
19 comments

Iraqi Olympic Soccer Team Gives Bush the Boot
by Dave Zirin

Sometimes we are reminded that the Olympics can serve as an international platform not only for flag waving and truck commercials, but also resistance.

In an incredible piece by Grant Wahl on Sports Illustrated.com, the Iraqi Olympic Soccer team has issued a stinging rebuke to George W. Bush’s attempt to use them as election year symbols.

Iraq’s soccer squad is perhaps the surprise of the entire Olympics, advancing to this weekend’s quarterfinals despite the war and occupation that has gripped their country for the last 17 months. Yet amidst cheers and triumph, they were infuriated to learn that Bush’s brain, Karl Rove, had launched campaign ads featuring their Olympic glory as a brilliant by-product of the war on terror.

The commercial, subtle as a blowtorch, begins with an image of the Afghani and Iraqi flags with a voice over saying, "At this Olympics there will be two more free nations — and two fewer terrorist regimes."

Bush has also been exploiting their exploits in stump speeches. Much more comfortable talking sports than foreign policy or stem-cell research, Bush brayed with bravado in Oregon, "The image of the Iraqi soccer team playing in this Olympics, it’s fantastic, isn’t it? It wouldn’t have been free if the United States had not acted."

This has compelled the Iraqi soccer team, at great personal risk, to respond. Mid-fielder and team leader Salih Sadir told Sports Illustrated, "Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign. He can find another way to advertise himself."

Sadir has reason to be upset. He was the star player for the professional soccer team in Najaf. Najaf has in recent weeks been swamped by US troops and the new Iraqi army in an attempt to uproot rebel cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr. Thousands have died, each death close to Sadir’s heart.

"I want the violence and the war to go away from the city," said Sadir, "We don’t wish for the presence of Americans in our country. We want them to go away."

Sadir’s teammates were less diplomatic.

Midfielder Ahmed Manajid, told Wahl angrily, "How will [Bush] meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women? He has committed so many crimes."

Manajid understands Sadir’s pain because he is from another Iraqi city that has been in a state of siege, Fallujah.

Manajid told Wahl that his cousin Omar Jabbar al-Aziz, who was a resistance fighter, was killed by the US, as were several of his friends. Manajid even said that if he were not playing soccer he would "for sure" be fighting as part of the resistance.

"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 labeled a terrorist. These are all lies. Fallujah people are some of the best people in Iraq."

Usually when there is political unrest on Olympic teams, the coach tries to be a mitigating force with the media. But not here and not now. Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad also went public to Sports Illustrated saying, "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."

To be clear, Iraq’s team is not pining for former Olympic head Uday Hussein, notorious for torturing athletes that under performed. Yet they don’t feel their choice has to be between Uday’s way and the bloodbath that has been visited upon their country. As Hamad said," What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?

The ideas expressed by the Iraqi soccer team are by all counts commonplace in Iraq yet find little expression in the mainstream media here at home. It is critical that their words find ears.

Without WMDs, Al-Qaeda connections, and with an Iraqi populace that overwhelmingly views the U.S. as occupiers and not liberators, what possible justification does Bush - and Kerry - have for supporting this invasion that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars and countless lives?

Take time this weekend to root for the Iraqi soccer team. Their ascent will accompany a platform for ideas that demand to be heard.

Dave Zirin can be reached at editor@pgpost.com. His book "What’s My Name Fool": Sports and Resistance in the United States (Haymarket Books) comes out spring 2005. To get his column every week, e-mail edgeofsports-subscribe@zirin.com

Forum posts

  • Is’nt it great that they’ve learned so quickly that their freedom allows them to speak their mind without fear of reprisals. George Bush has enabled these ingrates to speak their mind. "No good deed goes unpunished" - how true these words are. No one seems to recount the names of the US soldiers that have given their lives for these "courageous" athletes that could not muster the courage needed to oust a tyrant on their own.

    I, like the athletes, wish we could withdraw all our troops so that the radicals can re-claim control and give the people of Iraq the freedom they truly deserve - none.

    If only we had done that in France and Italy some 50 years ago - We’d be reading this article in German.

    • to the above commentor:

      you’re an absolute damn moron.

    • I agree, the person writing that response is as dumb as a bag of rocks.

    • (Quote) "George Bush has enabled these ingrates to speak their mind." Whereas in america the F.B.i, would arrest them for criticising bush.

      If I remember, Saddam was an employee/servant of america.(As was bin laden). Then he stopped selling oil in $$, and switched to euros.

      As for the "troops" who are dying in Iraq, no-one is forcing them to be there, they volounteered, and if america was flooded with soldiers from another country?

      Then of course, there is the oil, and israel, and the military industrial complex that rules america... tyrannical?

      Then there is the falling dollar, the rising american unemployment, the derision and contempt that the whole world feels for america.

      The draconian laws against freedom, the patriot act, the highest % rate of incarceration in the world, the 29,000 americans who were shot and killed in america last year, (by their fellow americans). In fact, perhaps most americans would welcome being liberated themselves.

    • If we bombed people less, they might like us more!!!

    • Please do not speak for ANY Americans - I’m sure you’re unqualified. You don’t get it - any American that doesn’t like it here CAN liberate themselves. They certainly don’t need any outside help - God forbid the US had to depend on any help from any other country.

      Saddam may have been an "employee" of the US, but he needed to get fired. Bin Laden has been given the same pink slip.

      You’re right though - I wish the US would stop helping the oppressed that can’t help themselves. Pull out our troops that stand between those madmen and the weak.

      Close the borders today - throw out all those that come here for their medical treatments, their education, their jobs to send money back home and yet would take up arms against the US without a thought.

      Let these countries that are entrenched in the dark ages destroy themselves on their own.

    • Can I asked whoever wrote this bullshit something. To begin with, its clear that you have no idea what you’re saying. One of these day an arab is gonna hear you and they will beat the crap out of you for talking out of your ass. You have no idea what goes on over seas. You just too spoiled, feel lucky you get to run your mouth off. Well guess what you aint the only one that can do it anymore, its funny how you can talk all this crap when you know they cant say anything, but thats about change. Its people like you that makes freedom of speech sound like a bad idea sometimes. My advice to you is that you shut your mouth, nobody wants to hear what you have to say. You say that their ingrates the only ingrate I see is you. How dare you say they deserve no freedom. Thats absolutely bullshit. I know what goes on over there, you have no idea what your saying, I am from Iraqi moron. If you can talk so boldly go there and tell me hows everything going, dont talk until you know.

    • the us isnt helping anyone...bush is helping himself

      america is america bcuz of all the different races and cultures so thats bull about lockin up the borders...how would that help the economy..the us relies on other nations so if u do shut the borders then the us will be one of those countries who cant help themselves

      bush went into the mid east for one reason and thats the oil...bush has no intention of helping america or its people...he wanted to finish what his father never could

    • The primary emphasis in this article is that it is wrong of Bush to politicize the Iraq soccer team’s success in his bid for President. ANd it is, no question about that. Unfortunately you seem to do what the Republican National Committee does in almost every case, ignore the primary charge, and deflect to some emotional issue in order avoid answering the charge.

      But at least Bush supporters are consistent. They recognize free speech as part of the Constitutional rights we enjoy, they just denigrate those brave enough to speak their minds.

      Conratulations to all the athletes from Iraq for their efforts. THe quagmire of the Iraqi war affects us all, but they have had a respite from the violence in their country. Let them enjoy it, and realize that Bush is only the US President, not the arbiter of all that is "good" in the world.

  • Good post...I hate that American blood is being shed in order to give these un-gratful people the right to free expression....The two responses that were critical of your post, were more than likley fellow Kerry medal throwers...Oh I’m sorry, he didn’t throw his medals...

    • Everyone on your block knows there is a crack house on the corner. You form a commitee to eliminate it, call in the police and they break in and find... no crack (WMD). But in the basement they find corpses, hundreds of them. What to do. Apologize to the supposed crack dealer (Saddam) and leave. Or arrest him for mass murder. In this case the basement was full of Iraqi soccer players tortured when they lost. It’s enough to know they can play, with their new-found freedom. We don’t need their thanks.

    • Everyone on your block knows there is a crack house on the corner. You form a commitee to eliminate it, call in the police and they break in and find... no crack (WMD). But in the basement they find corpses, hundreds of them. What to do. Apologize to the supposed crack dealer (Saddam) and leave. Or arrest him for mass murder. In this case the basement was full of Iraqi soccer players tortured when they lost. It’s enough to know they can play, with their new-found freedom. We don’t need their thanks.

    • I thought you were in Iraq because Saddam was a threat to America and her allies, not because you wanted to give Iraqis "the right to free expression". Oh wait... that justification didn’t pan out too well for you guys did it? You need to get over yourselves. The other 5 BILLION of us on this planet who aren’t Americans are getting a little sick of you guys throwing your weight around then expecting the rest of us to sit here quietly and take it.

      I’m sure both you and the person who wrote the first post were totally in favor of invading Iraq before the war started, but now that the rose petals aren’t being thrown at your feet you want to turn tail and run. Well here’s some news for you... if you leave now you’ll be creating an even bigger failed terrorist state than Afghanistan was before 9/11. And even if you stay you’re going to lose a lot more soldiers and spend a lot more taxpayer’s dollars before Iraq is anything approaching stable. You’ve got no choices now, unlike before the war. No wonder you’ve lost your taste for Iraqi oil.

    • I tried to see it from his point of view, but couldn’t get my head up my ass that far!

    • Screw you and your oil, you people forever have fought so called holy wars. I would like to pull out of Iraq and let you mentally iimpared have back your precious Sadam, and let you get back to life as normal. Cover your women, remove books, and schools, die at Sadams hand for it is what Ali wishes....You peope are right out of the stone age, and I hope you find your way back soon...

    • Thank god there are some countries in the world - too tired fighting wars for wrong and uncertain reasons anymore. France and Germany. Both are probably the only ones who has actually learned something from WW2. Now they both can be satisfied with their decision while you are cooking your freedom fries? Or perhaps they knew what might happen inside their borders if they join the war?

      We all (except Americans because of their sensored(!) media - ok, you may have some sort of freedom of speech but you may lose your job for it) know, that there would be no terrorism in the world if there were no Americans and their god damn national interest policy. (take it by force, if you can’t have it otherwise (oil and natural resources) - sounds like Europe in 17th century...) You are paying for your own mistakes and greed - that’s fine with me - but my tolerance is drying out when people elsewhere get targeted by what you have created. Example: Madrid bombings. Ok, it’s Spains own fault - they are offered a lot of money, powerful friends and business possibilies when they join the coalition of "willing" ... and when they get targeted - the wise one finally realises - they is no enough money in the world to bring back those who just died. "We will pull out, and never do this again." - I have heard them saying ... have you? Ofcourse not, your media won’t cover it - because it sounds bad, and it is not very patriotic - that usually means that newsnetwork might lose its funding and audience - an American vicious circle of freedom to speak? Our media is forced to be independent and so, we don’t have same problems with it. We are not so religious and patriotic that it gets out of hands and looks more like a mental sickness. Just listen Bush speaking: God bless America! Sounds a bit darkages to me, afterall we are living 21st century right ... and theres very much doubt there really is god?

      Finland/EU

  • Everyone on your block knows there is a crack house on the corner. You form a commitee to eliminate it, call in the police and they break in and find... no crack (WMDs). But in the basement they find hundreds of corpses. What to do. Apologize to the crack dealer (Saddam) and leave. Or lock him up for mass murder. In this case the basement was full of soccer players tortured when they lost. It’s enough to know they can play, with their new-found freedom. We don’t need their thanks.

  • I appreciate and applaud Dave Zirin’s piece on the Iraqi Olympic Soccer Team Giving Bush the Boot. Absolutely on the money. The honesty is appreciated since it is such a rare commodity today.

    • Wow! There sure is a lot of jealousy out there. I had no idea we Americans-the strongest, greatest super power on the planet-were so disliked because of our freedom, strength and morals. I’m PROUD to be an American and removing a tyrant like Saddam with two sick sons in power - more tyrannical than their father - was a good thing. Not to mention his hatred for America, praising of the 9/11 disaster, close relations to terrorists (no, not "freedom fighters"...TERRORISTS). America has been the target of terrorists for a long time, much of it under Regan, but more disastrous under Clinton’s watch. Clinton let it brew until Bush got caught off guard with 9/11, not because he didnt think anything would happen, just not as soon under his watch- 8 months - as it did. But he responded like nobody else. He stood up and said "enough is enough." We are NOTt going to fight this cancer one cell at a time. We’re taking the fight to the sworn enemy before they can bring it on us and our allies. We tried the UN approach. France and Germany were responsible for monitoring Iran’s nuclear capabilities and intent. Guess what...THEY FAILED. They took the "Me and You, You and Me, little warm fuzzies, hug a tree" approach. Wimps. Now Iran is posing a threat to Israel - a country surrounded by more than 20 arab nations as it is. They have also threatened the US while in Iraq. Thanks guys. Oh, maybe we can get the corrupt, do nothing UN to help. We’d have to funnel large amounts of money, I guess from Iraqi oil, to bribe them into helping. Sorry the US ruined a good scam UN, Germany, France.

      Uneducated liberal tree huggers sicken me.