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sinrakin
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 7044
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 Posted: 08/19/04 - 15:03 Post subject: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/writers/08/19/iraq/
| Quote: | PATRAS, Greece -- Iraqi midfielder Salih Sadir scored a goal here on Wednesday night, setting off a rousing celebration among the 1,500 Iraqi soccer supporters at Pampeloponnisiako Stadium. Though Iraq -- the surprise team of the Olympics -- would lose to Morocco 2-1, it hardly mattered as the Iraqis won Group D with a 2-1 record and now face Australia in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Afterward, Sadir had a message for U.S. president George W. Bush, who is using the Iraqi Olympic team in his latest re-election campaign advertisements.
In those spots, the flags of Iraq and Afghanistan appear as a narrator says, "At this Olympics there will be two more free nations -- and two fewer terrorist regimes."
"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign," Sadir told SI.com through a translator, speaking calmly and directly. "He can find another way to advertise himself."
Ahmed Manajid, who played as a midfielder on Wednesday, had an even stronger response when asked about Bush's TV advertisement. "How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women?" Manajid told me. "He has committed so many crimes."
The Bush campaign was contacted about the Iraqi soccer player's statements, but has yet to respond.
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.
But they also find it offensive that Bush is using their team for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions in Iraq. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "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?"
At a speech in Beaverton, Ore., last Friday, Bush attached himself to the Iraqi soccer team after its opening-game upset of Portugal. "The image of the Iraqi soccer team playing in this Olympics, it's fantastic, isn't it?" Bush said. "It wouldn't have been free if the United States had not acted."
Sadir, Wednesday's goal-scorer, used to be the star player for the professional soccer team in Najaf. In the city in which 20,000 fans used to fill the stadium and chant Sadir's name, U.S. and Iraqi forces have battled loyalists to rebel cleric Moktada al-Sadr for the past two weeks. Najaf lies in ruins.
"I want the violence and the war to go away from the city," says Sadir, 21. "We don't wish for the presence of Americans in our country. We want them to go away."
Manajid, 22, who nearly scored his own goal with a driven header on Wednesday, hails from the city of Fallujah. He says coalition forces killed Manajid's cousin, Omar Jabbar al-Aziz, who was fighting as an insurgent, and several of his friends. In fact, Manajid says, 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?" Manajid says. "Everyone [in Fallujah] has been labeled a terrorist. These are all lies. Fallujah people are some of the best people in Iraq."
Everyone agrees that Iraq's soccer team is one of the Olympics' most remarkable stories. If the Iraqis beat Australia on Saturday -- which is entirely possible, given their performance so far -- they would reach the semifinals. Three of the four semifinalists will earn medals, a prospect that seemed unthinkable for Iraq before this tournament.
When the Games are over, though, Coach Hamad says, they will have to return home to a place where they fear walking the streets. "The war is not secure," says Hamad, 43. "Many people hate America now. The Americans have lost many people around the world--and that is what is happening in America also."
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Vengar_OO
Sir Postalot
Joined: 30 Nov 2002
Posts: 1029
Location: Mayport, FL
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 15:07 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way.
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xeqer
Luke Warm
Joined: 24 Oct 2002
Posts: 348
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 15:13 Post subject:
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Big deal, they were all p****d at the daily footbeatings and fingernail extractions. Those f00kers whine about everything. They'd fit in well here.
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Guest
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 15:48 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| Vengar_OO wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way. |
The country is mostly filled with animals 2 steps out of a cave. Thats exactly why we are over there now, taking charge and putting in a smarter crew to run the show.
Let him fight back, he will just die in the end. Sooner or later they will loose steam and the more civilized of his brethren will gain complete control over that mess.
And we will have some beautiful forward bases:)
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Rennol
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 3741
Location: Charleston, IL
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 16:04 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| Vengar_OO wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way. |
You must feel like a complete idiot for saying that when it was explained further in the very next paragraph.
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Abi
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 11 Aug 2003
Posts: 1747
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 16:39 Post subject:
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Well I haven't seen the ad so I can't really comment on this yet. I'll get back to you after I watch the add...
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Abi
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 11 Aug 2003
Posts: 1747
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 16:46 Post subject:
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OK I watched the ad...
First of all there isn't a SINGLE soccer player depicted in the add.
Secondly not once does Bush or the add say anything about a single Iraqi participant supporting him or his policies.
The only image ever used is a picture or the Iraqi flag.
Well frankly the Bush admin has every right to use an image of their flag in an ad. Had he used a pic of the Iraqi Soccer team, then I would agree this man has a legitimate beef. However to get p****d cause the ad says "there are 2 more democracies" and show the Iraqi flag? There's nothing false about that nor does it say in any way that a single Iraqi supports or doesn't support him. The ad is simply stating a fact Iraq and Afghanastan are competing as Free Countries for the first time. JUST LIKE THE AD SAYS...
Nice try though Sinuseless!
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Confused
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 08 Feb 2004
Posts: 6730
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 16:48 Post subject:
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They're probably Bathists.
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Nuldaan
Sir Postalot
Joined: 07 Nov 2002
Posts: 1179
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 17:01 Post subject:
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I actually haven't seen the ad either but I'm not sure that matters.
Considering Uday's practice of torturing athletes (and everyone else apparently), it would make logical sense to be happy that the man is gone. It would also make sense to be thankful to the country that removed him.
As far as complaining about damage to al-Najaf, perhaps they should ask Sadr about that. The last time I checked, the city was fine until he and his band of lunatics decided to use it as a base.
Furthermore, how is Bush incorrect in his statement? Due to the US's actions under his presidency, there are two more free nations at the Olympics. These athletes and everyone else can point their fingers all they want at Najaf but Najaf is not the entirety of Iraq. It is not even indicative of the situation in Iraq. The violence in that city is not due to US troops despite what so many would have you believe. It's due to one more power-hungry fanatic making a play for power.
This athlete, and indeed the entire Iraq soccer team if they believe the same, need to pull their heads out of their butts and look at the actual situation without their ingrained Muslim prejudice.
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Vengar_OO
Sir Postalot
Joined: 30 Nov 2002
Posts: 1029
Location: Mayport, FL
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 17:04 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| Rennol wrote: | | Vengar_OO wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way. |
You must feel like a complete idiot for saying that when it was explained further in the very next paragraph. |
Nope. I still don't see why he's complaining. I wonder how free he would feel while being tortured for not getting a gold medal.
Anything else?
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Rennol
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 3741
Location: Charleston, IL
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 17:13 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| Vengar_OO wrote: | | Rennol wrote: | | Vengar_OO wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way. |
You must feel like a complete idiot for saying that when it was explained further in the very next paragraph. |
Nope. I still don't see why he's complaining. I wonder how free he would feel while being tortured for not getting a gold medal.
Anything else? |
| Paragraph Vengar the moron should have read wrote: |
But they also find it offensive that Bush is using their team for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions in Iraq. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "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?"
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sinrakin
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 7044
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 17:13 Post subject:
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I know. In one breath, he's saying "thank you for removing our dictator" and in the next he's saying "please go away now and stop killing my friends and neighbors". Why can't he make up his mind? He waffles so much you should call him Adnan Kerry!
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Nuldaan
Sir Postalot
Joined: 07 Nov 2002
Posts: 1179
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 17:29 Post subject:
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| sinrakin wrote: | | I know. In one breath, he's saying "thank you for removing our dictator" and in the next he's saying "please go away now and stop killing my friends and neighbors". Why can't he make up his mind? He waffles so much you should call him Adnan Kerry! |
What makes him foolish is his inexplicable determination to blame it on the US. You'll notice that the rest of the country doesn't have these problems. You'll also notice that the two cities noted are Fallujah and Najaf, coincidentally, the two most violent areas of the country since the collapse of Saddam's government.
The difference between these two regions and the rest of Iraq is not the presence of US troops; the difference is that people here insist on shooting at our troops. I would argue that it's their perception that is the problem.
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Abi
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 11 Aug 2003
Posts: 1747
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 18:23 Post subject:
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I'd have to say that is a very astute assessment, Nuld 
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Docter
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 21 Oct 2002
Posts: 3420
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 18:27 Post subject:
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Does he say anything about the insurgents car bombs going off and killing innocent Iraqi people??? I wonder...
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Vengar_OO
Sir Postalot
Joined: 30 Nov 2002
Posts: 1029
Location: Mayport, FL
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Posted: 08/19/04 - 23:21 Post subject: Re: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
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| Rennol wrote: | | Vengar_OO wrote: | | Rennol wrote: | | Vengar_OO wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: |
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.
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Ingrate. You would think the actual soccer team would feel the same way. |
You must feel like a complete idiot for saying that when it was explained further in the very next paragraph. |
Nope. I still don't see why he's complaining. I wonder how free he would feel while being tortured for not getting a gold medal.
Anything else? |
| Paragraph Vengar the moron should have read wrote: |
But they also find it offensive that Bush is using their team for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions in Iraq. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "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?"
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And this paragraph is supposed to point out what exactly? It only proves my point, actually. Apparently this m**********r could say the sun would rise at midnight and you would believe him. This guy talks like American troops are going door to door, gunning down families, LA style gangshootings at innocent bystanders, bombing playgrounds and you are eating it up. He should be lucky he doesn't have to spout this kind of b******t from inside an iron maiden. It would almost be worth it, not to have gone to Iraw, so this m**********r would be getting his groove on with Saddam's boys in the basement.
Hopefully, it will sink in this time. What the hell is the matter with you anyway, you got the downs? Extra chromosome or two?
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Ikkan
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 06 Sep 2003
Posts: 3086
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Posted: 08/20/04 - 00:20 Post subject:
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Well I think it's funny that they say that President Bush will never meet God because he has killed so man people, then like a paragraph or two later they are like "oh yeah, thx for killing uday lolz". Kerry and them should go bowling.
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Fabulez
Luke Warm
Joined: 11 Nov 2002
Posts: 437
Location: up in here
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Posted: 08/20/04 - 16:08 Post subject:
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| Confused wrote: | | They're probably Bathists. |
Like the Prime Minister we installed!
| Quote: | | Though he is Shiite, Allawi was once upon a time an active Baathist, a member of Saddam Hussein's political party, and is thought to enjoy much support among the officer corps of the old Iraqi army, and by extension among many former Baathists and influential Sunni. Indeed, there are reports that the reason Ahmed Chalabi, the neoconservative favorite, urged his friends in the White House to dissolve the army last year -- a decision now acknowledged to be the most disastrous of the occupation -- was Chalabi's fear of the support enjoyed by his rival within the military. |
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2004/05/29/allawi/index_np.html
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Confused
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 08 Feb 2004
Posts: 6730
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Posted: 08/20/04 - 16:16 Post subject:
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| Fabulez wrote: | | Confused wrote: | | They're probably Bathists. |
Like the Prime Minister we installed!
| Quote: | | Though he is Shiite, Allawi was once upon a time an active Baathist, a member of Saddam Hussein's political party, and is thought to enjoy much support among the officer corps of the old Iraqi army, and by extension among many former Baathists and influential Sunni. Indeed, there are reports that the reason Ahmed Chalabi, the neoconservative favorite, urged his friends in the White House to dissolve the army last year -- a decision now acknowledged to be the most disastrous of the occupation -- was Chalabi's fear of the support enjoyed by his rival within the military. |
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2004/05/29/allawi/index_np.html |
Do you even know how to read?
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