Soccer: We're No Symbol of Freedom, Iraq Coach Says

[floda]

THESSALONIKI, Greece (Reuters) - Iraq's Olympic soccer coach said Monday his side should not be seen as a symbol of freedom, taking issue with a campaign commercial for President Bush.



The flags of Iraq and Afghanistan appear in a commercial as part of Bush's drive for re-election in November. A narrator says: "At this Olympics there will be two more free nations -- and two fewer terrorist regimes."

But coach Adnan Hamad said Iraq, still plagued by violence daily, remained a country under occupation.

"You cannot speak about a team that represents freedom. We do not have freedom in Iraq, we have an occupying force. This is one of our most miserable times," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20040823_139.html

[GOPAgainstGW]

1. Another Growing Scandal - Bush Alienates the World

Bush-Cheney-GOP Olympic Ad Causes World Uproar. Greatly upsets the IOC, Iraqis, Iraq War Coalition Partners, the World, and Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair Refuses to Meet Bush over Iraq War and receive Medal of Honor for Great Britain’s participation in Iraq War.

So, what is Bush-Cheney-GOP campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel response. He tells a BBC reporter to "kiss off" and said there were no plans to pull the ad. In fact he said “we are running the ad until the later part of August”. Never mind that protesting media articles and peoples anger increases daily around the World.

Yes, Bush the Uniter strikes again.
.
. - NKR

====
Bush to Continue Ad Controversial Olympic Ad
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002011557_cdig21.html

Bush Campaign Defends Its Use of Olympics in a Television Ad
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/21/politics/campaign/21spot.html

International Olympic Committee says Bush-Cheney-GOP must stop Olympic Presidential campaign ad, but Bush representative say they are going to continue to run it.

AND

Unwilling participants: Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads
Posted: Thursday August 19, 2004 5:03PM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/writers/08/19/iraq/
==
Iraqi athletes object to Bush campaign ad
Soccer players say president shouldn't exploit their success
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5772644/
===
Iraq players tell Bush to keep team out of political ads
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-olyiraq20aug20,0,5190060.story?coll=sfla-sports-headlines

Iraq's soccer coach Adnan Hamad said his problems "are not with the American people" but "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 stadium and there are shootings on the road?"

AND - World

###-England
British Broadcast Company: Iraqi footballers' fury at Bush
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3584242.stm
###-England-Islam Response
Iraqi Olympic Team Berates Bush for ‘Iraq Crimes’
http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-08/21/article03.shtml
###-Australia
Iraq soccer players slam Bush over campaign ad
http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200408/s1181861.htm
###-Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald
Stop politicising sport, says angry Iraq
http://smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/08/21/1092972782691.html
###-Scotland
Iraqi Soccer Players Slam 'Criminal' Bush
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3378141
###-India
Iraqi soccer team kicks Bush for using them to garner votes!
http://www.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=46043&cat=World
###-India's 129 Old Newspaper, The Statesman
Iraqi footballers dribble past Bush goal
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=8&id=80132&usrsess=1
###-France
Iraqi Olympic Soccer Team Gives Bush the Boot
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=2886
###-Germany
Iraq Team-Stop Politicizing Sports
http://www6.dw-world.de/en/1759.php

AND - At Home, "Bush Land" Texas

Editorial: (Bush-GOP) Don't politicize Olympics
San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted: 08/21/2004 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/stories/MYSA082104.10B.soccer3ed.1530ab8.html

Delighting the world with the feel-good Olympics story, the Iraqi soccer team will face Australia in the quarterfinals Sunday.

But for all their prowess on the field, there is one game these athletes refuse to play — the political game.

Team members expressed their disdain for an advertisement sponsored by the Bush campaign.

In the spot, the flags of Iraq and Afghanistan appear on the screen as a narrator says in a reverent tone, "At the Olympics there will be two more free nations — and two fewer terrorist regimes."

"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign," Iraqi midfielder Salih Sadir told SI.com recently. "He can find another way to advertise himself."

In addition to freedom to play soccer without fear, Sadir is enjoying another freedom — the right to free expression. The Bush campaign should listen.

If not to the soccer team, perhaps the campaign will listen to the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is granted exclusive rights to the name "Olympic" by federal law. It also has asked the Bush campaign to stop using the name in commercials.

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.
.
* Republicans Against Bush-Cheney 04, Inc.*

[fishnfla]

6. A big welcome to DU

And I mean how!

[mom cat]

8. Oh what a lovely bunch of links. Welcome to DU and post again

soon. In fact, you might consider re-posting in general discussion or the campaign 2004 site...probably the latter. :yourock:

[AspenRose]

9. Way to come through hometown peeps!

(San Antonio)

Great message by the editorial people at the E-N (Express-News).

[minkyboodle]

15. great collection of links

Welcome to DU!! :hi:

[farmbo]

2. Ooops... Rove will have to cancel Bush's campaign swing to Athens

The Iraqi Soccer team coach isn't exactly following the GOP talking points on this.

Note to Smearboat Vets for Bush: Time to weigh in on Coach Hamad's military record.

[llmart]

3. Note to Iraqi soccer team.....

This is one of our most miserable times, too. We can sympathize with you. We are doing our best to get rid of this dufus in November.

[Cocoa]

4. let's have a debate

Tom Friedman vs. Adnan Hamad on how happy the Iraqis are.

[xchrom]

5. damn that's like a good puchline

to a joke.
to bad bush can't --oops -- doesn't read.

[progressivebydesign]

7. Really.. that is just so despicable of Bush.

How can he say that the Iraqis are "FREE"? They are far from free! Curfews, bombings, scorched earth, government in shambles, tens of thousands dead... Free? Must be the same "free" in "FreeRepublic", because it looks nothing like the "free" we know.

[DrWeird]

10. But, but, but the Iraqi people are free!

Obviously this Iraqi soccer coach doesn't understand what's going on in Iraq.

He must not watch Fox news.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

11. "Ungrateful buncha sand n***ers" </sarcasm>

[BiggJawn]

12. Freedom's just another word...

For nothing left to lose,
Nothing, and that's all
Bush left the Iraqis.

So is Bush gonna put out an ad after the convention on how much better a Xmas NYC hookers are gonna have since the GOP came to get their limp-ons played with?

He's exploiting every OTHER group in the world!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

13. This one looks REAL BAD for Bush

People I never heard talk politics are talking about this one and it ain't lookin' good for Karl

[Eloriel]

14. That's such a poignant comment

Sigh. And no way to put it all back together, or "fix it" in any reasonable, resposible way (not that the Bushies have ever been into resposible or reasonable solutions to real problems -- but rather, mostly to CREATING real problems).

[Doosh]

16. won't stop Bush from making you a symbol of his re-election

[Moderator]

17. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=762588