It looks at though the Bush machine, headed by Karl Rove is trying to drum up some November support via the Iraqi soccer team. The president capitalized on news last week that the Iraqi soccer team had come into the olympics as a suprise team, winning group D and continuing on to play against Australia on Sunday. But it seems that not all Iraqis are happy that Bush is using their team as a catalyst for re-election.
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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."
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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."
Many Iraqis, including players on the Iraqi olympic team feel that this is occupation not democracy and they are truly wondering when the 25 million Iraqi's will actually see freedom. It is true that a brutal dictator was taken out, but at what price, the Iraqi's see the reality on the streets, in their cities and the ruins that remain as the new infrastructure.
However one must be clear on what the Iraqi majority resists:
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"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?"
So it seems like taking credit where credit isn't due comes back to bite sometimes. But whatever the case may be, the Bush administration is going to try and jump on any positive press they can, and invent it if need be.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...raq/index.html