wiegie Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Iraqis ready to defy bombs to back football teamThu 26 Jul, 02:58 PM BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqis, brought together in a rare moment of unity by their soccer team's success in the Asian Cup, said defiantly on Thursday that bombs would not deter them from supporting their country in Sunday's final. Thousands of them poured onto the streets after Iraq beat South Korea on Wednesday to reach the Asian Cup final for the first time, but suicide bombings that killed 50 people in Baghdad cast a pall over their jubilation. The bombings were a sharp reminder of Iraq's unrelenting cycle of sectarian violence between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs. But many fans, though war-weary, said they would not be cowed and would turn out to support their team in the same fashion when Iraq meet Saudi Arabia on Sunday. "Those who carried out the explosions yesterday wanted to deprive Iraqis of rare moments of happiness. They want to kill life in Iraq," said 22-year-old Bashar Mouayad. The streets of Baghdad and cities across Iraq erupted into spontaneous displays of joy as fans with Iraqi flags draped over their shoulders danced in the streets. Sheep were slaughtered and vendors at ice cram and juice shops gave away free treats. Sabbah Hameed, a 47-year-old teacher, said he had been watching soccer since he was 10 and he was not going to miss the rare chance of celebrating despite the danger. "My wife threatened to take the kids and leave home if I go celebrating outside with my friends," Hameed told Reuters. "I told her to leave home now because I am going to go outside," he said. The bombings were condemned by the U.S. military as barbaric. Iraqi leaders said they were carried out by militants upset by the rare display of unity among fans from Iraq's mainly Shi'ite south, Kurdish north and mixed areas of Baghdad. In Mosul, often targeted by Sunni Islamist militants, gunmen mined the north-western city's main soccer stadium, destroying about half the structure. Deafening barrages of gunfire greeted Iraq's defeat of South Korea in a penalty shootout. Firing weapons into the air is a tribal tradition at times of celebration but it often has deadly consequences. Two people were killed by falling bullets despite televised warnings by military commanders not to fire. Many parents worry about their children's safety. Some, like Baghdad mother Um Adil, do not want to stop their children from having fun, so she and her husband decided to send their three sons to Sulaimaniya in Iraq's more stable north to watch the televised final in Kuala Lumpur. "We prefer to lose the money rather than our boys," she said. But 59-year-old Um Laith said she would be keeping a closer eye on her two grown-up sons. "I do not want my home turned into an orphanage because of a soccer match," she said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Amazing what a hold soccer has on everywhere but here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Translated in Motley Crew........Don't go away mad ........just go away..............I'm goin to the game........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Slaughtered sheep? I mean...I can understand crashing a good ole fashion honor killing...but slaughtering sheep? At least Bush/America isn't getting the blame for this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Slaughtered sheep? I mean...I can understand crashing a good ole fashion honor killing...but slaughtering sheep? At least Bush/America isn't getting the blame for this one. You don't remember those first Rams years in St Louis? Slaughtering sheep happened all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Slaughtered sheep? I mean...I can understand crashing a good ole fashion honor killing...but slaughtering sheep? At least Bush/America isn't getting the blame for this one. spain is miffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 spain is a turd burglar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 29, 2007 Author Share Posted July 29, 2007 Iraq beat Saudi Arabia. (I have the slightest hope that maybe this well be helpful in the overall situation in Iraq.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Iraq beat Saudi Arabia. (I have the slightest hope that maybe this well be helpful in the overall situation in Iraq.) I think this is something that's HUGH victory in the cultural side of the war. Something to do with that whole 'freedom thing' that once tasted can never be forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 (edited) Iraq beat Saudi Arabia. (I have the slightest hope that maybe this well be helpful in the overall situation in Iraq.) Iraq's 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on a 71st-minute header by captain Younis Mahmoud was an inspirational triumph for a team whose players straddle bitter and violent ethnic divides. After the game, Mahmoud called for the United States to withdraw its troops from his nation. "I want America to go out," he said. "Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn't invade Iraq and, hopefully, it will be over soon." Mahmoud also said he will not return to Iraq to celebrate. "I don't want the Iraqi people to be angry with me," he said. "If I go back with the team, anybody could kill me or try to hurt me." Edited July 29, 2007 by bushwacked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Iraq beat Saudi Arabia. (I have the slightest hope that maybe this well be helpful in the overall situation in Iraq.) It certainly won't hurt their efforts at trying to establish some sort of national identity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration's miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily "victory" but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with. After the furnace-like heat, the first thing you notice when you land in Baghdad is the morale of our troops. In previous trips to Iraq we often found American troops angry and frustrated--many sensed they had the wrong strategy, were using the wrong tactics and were risking their lives in pursuit of an approach that could not work. Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/opinion/...;pagewanted=all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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