Heat on Bush over Games. Unfortunately I'm going to support Paraguay tonight.
After knocking us out of the (soccer) Olympics, the only tournament we've never won, I'm suportting anyone playing Paraguay. And tonight it was goint to be the Iraqis. The guys are playing only with pure adrenalina to be able to reach so far. They'd have to win.
Then I read Bush wants to capitalize in the next round if the Iraqis win tonight.
The games were peaceful and totally unaware fo the politics and now Bush wants to go capitalize on the fforts of a bunch of guys who have got there even after the German coach was forced to leave after threathen to be killed. Without nay money and training abroad living on charity from other soccer federations and friendly games.n They just want to give the Iraqis back home a sense nationality and hapiness. And the guy want to politicize it???
I am now backing the Paraguayans.
By Athens
August 24, 2004
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US President George Bush faces being accused of appropriating the Olympic movement for political means amid reports he plans to visit Athens this week to watch events including a potential gold-medal-winning bid by the Iraqi soccer team.
According to unconfirmed US reports, the White House is examining logistical and security implications of Mr Bush going to Greece in time for Saturday's soccer final. Iraq, whose progress to the semi-finals has been one of the Games' most captivating stories, will meet Paraguay tonight, Athens time, for a possible finals place.
A presidential visit to the Games would fuel a dispute between Mr Bush's election campaign and the US Olympic Committee over an advertisement linking Iraq's and Afghanistan's Games participation with the US war on terror.
The ad, which uses the Iraqi and Afghan flags, has screened for the past week, and starts with film of the 1972 Munich Olympics, during which terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes. A narrator says: "Freedom is spreading through the world like a sunrise. And this Olympics, there will be two more free nations and two less terrorist regimes."
US copyright law allows only the US Olympic Committee to use Games insignia, images and trademarks for marketing. At first, the committee reportedly sought the ad's withdrawal, but it has retreated from that. Iraqi soccer players have reacted furiously to Mr Bush's use of them in his campaign. He has mentioned them frequently. |
