Just Ran Across This...

Mmmmmm, such a large copa to drink Jews' blood from!

Congratulations to Iraq!

As always it took sportsmen a couple weeks to do something that takes politicians, even soldiers, years to do- unite a country. Even if it is only for a short respite I can't imagine what this does to Iraqis' psyche in terms of hope. Haven't read about any deaths in the celebrations today from car bombbers so far & there will no doubt be some as there were following Iraq's semifinal win as death-loving murdering idiots target congregated revelers

Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1499!

Some might scoff at the notion that, "oh, soccer/football (or sports in general) is only a game, however, that's usually said by panty-waisted academia types who never sweated, toiled & flat out busted their asses physically day in & day out to achieve an athletic goal which is nothing more than a metaphor for what you can do with the rest of your life given the same amount of effort! Not to mention in Saddam's Iraq where his eldest son ran the Iraqi Olympic & Sports Associations, losses or failures in tournaments were greeted with torture to qthletes their families.

Do sports look unimportant to these guys, Krugman?

Similarly, even for the fans, much as the Saints did last year for New Orleans citizens (& ex-citizens, for that matter!) to give hope in days that seem darkest, this will no doubt give some hope to Iraqis that "if the national team can do it, why can't we be successful?" B/c let's face it, Iraq was not an Asian continental footballing power by any means. In my sometimes arrogant but generally correct opinion, Iraq winning the Asian Cup would be like Norway or Scotland winning the European Championship, i.e. not out of the realm of possibility but pretty distant shot(s) to say the least.

Anyway, I'm sure politico types on both sides & including the Middle East will use this as political ammo to advance their causes, but police office Sabah Shaiyal in the linked office put it best:

"The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians,"

Great picture after the final whistle as well:

Praise be King Bush for allowing Allah to grant us this greatness!