That Success Of The Iraqi Soccer Team

**kelechi** · 08-04-2007, 04:56 AM

From the Shia enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad to Arbil in Kurdistan in the north of Iraq, Iraqis rejoiced for the first time in unison. I remember an Iraqi friend of mine once telling me that God is an Iraqi. Since Mohammed made that statement to me, he has kept me wondering about a lot of things.
Is God really an Iraqi? But when you hear all the daily rumblings of death in Iraq, and the bleak data that constantly come out about the future of this country, you really have a lot of doubt if Mohammed words were true or not. But today there seem to be some element of truth in the words of Mohammed. Iraq winning the Asian soccer cup? How did they do it? How can it be possible? How can a stone (Iraq) that has been thrown away become the corner stone of the Asian soccer world?
Iraq for the first time in many years erupted. This time around not an eruption from a bomb explosion (as has always been the case), but an eruption for peace and unity for this war ravaged and dismembered country. An eruption of victory of accomplishment. Yes that forgotten country has come back to life again. Yes that forgotten country has become one every Iraqi irrespective of creed or ethnicity is proud to be again.
It is good now for the Iraqis to use this team’s success to bring peace in politics. It is time for the Kurds Sunnis and shittes to come together for peace.
The Iraqi national soccer team went through a lot of hardships earlier in the beginning of the tournament from the never ending killings in the country to even the loss of relatives for some of these players. But still they came together and continued to push forward for the success of their national soccer team.
Now they have achieved victory even at a time not expected. Defeating their critics and the doubters of the idea of a united Iraq.
Now a mere soccer event has made Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis to forget their shenanigans and their animosity and rejoice in the streets of Iraq and all around the world for the success of Iraq. Remember this has been called the success of Iraq not the success of one particular ethnic group. This is what we need more in this country where the idea of a united polity has been taken as a joke and an exercise in futility.
If a determined group of eleven men can come together against all odds to bring progress and success to Iraq, defeating other Asian teams that came to this tournament who were well funded and also well prepared. What stops this great Iraq determination for success from bleeding over to other spheres of Iraqi life?
It is good to hear this good news from Iraq. May be there may be hope in spite of the destructions and chaos. Who says God is not an Iraqi?

Kennedy Kelechi Halams
Kelechi is a PhD Candidate and a facilitator at Baker College Flint Michigan.

**Otto13** · 08-04-2007, 03:50 PM

One of the things I love about living in the United States is Wednesday night soccer. The local children play soccer on Wednesdays and Saturdays (with a practice or two thrown in for fun). On the field are kids laughing, playing, giving their best or daydreaming as the game goes on around them.

On the sidelines are the parents. Yea, some get way too serious about the game but for the most part the parents are all cheering on the Hawks or the Eagles or the Bears to win. Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists, Hale-Bop Comet Riders, and all kinds of other religious worshipers and zealots stand with Republican and Democrats, rich and poor, blacks, whites, and Asians, smart and not so smart and a plethora of people who come in all shapes and sizes cheer from the sidelines watching children play together….this happens in many towns across THIS Great land. Gone are the politics, the hatred, the differences…If Willy scores a goal the parents cheer. If Lupe scores a goal the parents all cheer. If Yang scores a goal the parents all cheer. You know, God could be a Hawk (Hawks won last Wednesday 2-1)

We tend to overlook what makes THIS GREAT land of ours work. I don’t want to see harm come to anyone anywhere…but I am less moved by international politics and adults playing a game than I am of the local people who can truly hurt me or can truly help me.

We all rallied around the 1980 Olympic hockey team…for a few months. There was no higher being involved nor was their some intervention on some other plane making it happen. It was fun and it was over. We did rally and become better people after 1980. We went back to work, continued to support and raise our families, paid our taxes, and tried to make a better life for our children. I did it for me and mine and was/am willing to help others…and others have done the same. One season of soccer is not going to change several thousands of years of hatred, spite, and retaliation for a population of people who are tribal and not communal…

I wish the Iraqi’s well in their quest and I am already satisfied that if they did not win none of the players would have be murdered…(I am sure that our troops need not be thanked by the world for this…)

Otto13

PS...I love my country.

**Neli** · 08-05-2007, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by Otto13

I wish the Iraqi’s well in their quest and I am already satisfied that if they did not win none of the players would have be murdered.

Yes, nicely said - as every victory or loss must not be compared to a zealous political campaign. And the focus from the war is moved to joy of communication without guns. If people want to gather around the opportunity to make money from this, it will be good to remember the humans, and not petrol, are their great resource

**christiw** · 08-07-2007, 03:53 PM

Wonderful isn't it?

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