So George Bush is touting the success of the Iraqi soccer team at the '04 Olympics in a campaign ad and on the stump. But the players ain't down with that shit. Midfielder Ahmed Manajid said that if he weren't playing soccer, he'd "for sure" be part of the resistance. (Read: killing Americans.)
"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign. He can find another way to advertise himself."posted by dack-- Midfielder Salih Sadir
"How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women? He has committed so many crimes."
-- Midfielder Ahmed Manajid
"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. What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?"
-- Coach Adnan Hamad
"I want the violence and the war to go away from the city (Najaf). We don't wish for the presence of Americans in our country. We want them to go away. 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."
-- Midfielder Ahmed Manajid
Good, the comments are back.
Posted by: Ted on August 20, 2004 07:09 PMInteresting that this is out so openly in Si/CNN. My perception is that the media is no longer the brainless cheerleader it previously was re. W.
Posted by: Derek on August 24, 2004 01:12 PM