Iraq's political leaders should learn from football team: US diplomat

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Iraq's divided politicians should learn from the country's football team of Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish players, whose "unity" helped them win the Asian Cup Sunday, a top US diplomat said.

UN ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's former envoy in Iraq, applauded the football team for capturing its first Asian Cup by beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Jakarta.

"I want to congratulate Iraqis, the soccer team for a great victory that they had today," Khalilzad told CNN.

The United States is pressing Iraq's government to make progress in national reconciliation efforts, and Khalilzad used the football team's triumph to urge politicians to follow the players' example.

"They were truly united, unlike the government and the political process, where the unity that exists is very much hedged. This unity was truly a united effort by the team that produced results. And I hope that the Iraqi politicians will learn from the soccer team," he said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070729/pl_afp/fblasia2007irqusiraq

[Kagemusha]

1. Good theory. Bad condescending patronising tone.

At least he said something at all.

[rodeodance]

2. maybe if the 'coach' (bush/maliki) gave them a vision of US leaving and not

controlling their oil-----their might be some unity???

[mikeytherat]

3. From the lips of the Iraqi team's coach: “I want America to go out.”

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.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/30/iraq-soccer-captain-i-want-america-to-go-out/

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/07/29/voices/

mikey_the_rat