Comments on: Soccer and Reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/ Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:39:02 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ayuba http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-132591 Ayuba Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:01:05 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-132591 the americans are doing a great job.Through soccer, they will win the afghans and iraqis heart. There can't be peace without winning their hearts. the americans are doing a great job.Through soccer, they will win the afghans and iraqis heart. There can’t be peace without winning their hearts.

]]> By: meena http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-49623 meena Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:36:17 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-49623 omg no coments from afgz onlii 4rm amircan or british or other we all r afg buh we even dont have time 2 read abuh our own country i have seen onlii others coment thnx ppl thnx alot am afg gal 14 yrs old thnx 4 ur ideas nd everyfing thnx guyz best off luck thanks omg no coments from afgz onlii 4rm amircan or british or other we all r afg buh we even dont have time 2 read abuh our own country i have seen onlii others coment thnx ppl thnx alot am afg gal 14 yrs old thnx 4 ur ideas nd everyfing thnx guyz best off luck thanks

]]> By: Afghanvoice http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-26948 Afghanvoice Fri, 23 May 2008 20:29:14 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-26948 In Afghanistan, soccer was more popular prior to the Russian invasion of the 1980s and there were some fine Afghan soccer players. The current invasion is no different than that of the Russians and when it comes to soccer the US stooge are using it as a propaganda machine to win the heart and minds of locals. In the above picture of national stadium there is the picture of a warlord who is responsible for countless death and destruction. Let us separate political agendas from the spirit of sport and soccer in particular. In Afghanistan, soccer was more popular prior to the Russian invasion of the 1980s and there were some fine Afghan soccer players. The current invasion is no different than that of the Russians and when it comes to soccer the US stooge are using it as a propaganda machine to win the heart and minds of locals. In the above picture of national stadium there is the picture of a warlord who is responsible for countless death and destruction. Let us separate political agendas from the spirit of sport and soccer in particular.

]]> By: Stephen http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-9026 Stephen Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:40:51 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-9026 This would have been a truly great blog if it didn't focus so much on America bashing rather than taking an objective look on how soccer culture is influencing Iraqi and Afghan people in their post-war reconstruction. "Bush seems to have learned his lesson, and didn’t use the Iraqi national team’s victory in last summer’s Asian Cup as an opportunity to toot his own horn." -- Have you got an axe to grind or what? Having said that, it wasn't a complete waste of time reading it because of the actual facts and references you used for backup were awesome. However, comments like the one I mentioned above and your attempts at portraying the US military as inept, took your peice from Grade A to grain of salt. This would have been a truly great blog if it didn’t focus so much on America bashing rather than taking an objective look on how soccer culture is influencing Iraqi and Afghan people in their post-war reconstruction.

“Bush seems to have learned his lesson, and didn’t use the Iraqi national team’s victory in last summer’s Asian Cup as an opportunity to toot his own horn.”
– Have you got an axe to grind or what?

Having said that, it wasn’t a complete waste of time reading it because of the actual facts and references you used for backup were awesome.

However, comments like the one I mentioned above and your attempts at portraying the US military as inept, took your peice from Grade A to grain of salt.

]]> By: chris c paul http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6431 chris c paul Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:18:56 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6431 Hello Jason! Yes they are aren't they. Rubbish. Gridiron especially. I want to make that joke about how come the americans always have a world series for sports that only they play but then I would have to point out that the British do the same, with darts, snooker, bowls, etc. Hello Jason! Yes they are aren’t they. Rubbish. Gridiron especially. I want to make that joke about how come the americans always have a world series for sports that only they play but then I would have to point out that the British do the same, with darts, snooker, bowls, etc.

]]> By: Jason Kennedy http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6390 Jason Kennedy Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:53:09 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6390 Watching any match featuring Middlesborough or Bolton Wanderers also constitutes a form of torture. I just can't for the life of me understand why those brilliant American sports that enjoy so much more coverage than 'soccer' in the US, baseball, basketball, gridiron, are just not popular in Iraq. Ah yeah, that's right, it's because they're crap. Watching any match featuring Middlesborough or Bolton Wanderers also constitutes a form of torture.

I just can’t for the life of me understand why those brilliant American sports that enjoy so much more coverage than ’soccer’ in the US, baseball, basketball, gridiron, are just not popular in Iraq.

Ah yeah, that’s right, it’s because they’re crap.

]]> By: chris c paul http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6340 chris c paul Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:03:59 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6340 It seems a bit of a weird one to me- "you're free now- you can play soccer! Just make sure you don't get get blown up on your way their." In a world understandably fraught with paranoia about US colonial ambition the most important part of trying to win hearts and minds would seem to not actually try act like your trying to win hearts and minds. And just get on with the solemn business of ensuring water, power, security, transport, and every other aspect of infrastructure that coudln't withstand war, sanctions, invasion, and civil war/strife. There is something darkly comic about the whole scenario. "The Americans said they were coming to set us free. They said they wanted to make things better after Saddam. But now my son Mustafa has only one leg, my daughter is dead, and it is not safe enough to visit Baghdad to see my mother. I do not know what the future holds... Thank god then for the nice new soccer pitch on the edge of town. It is just a shame Mustafa cannot enjoy it much." On another note it seems that the spatial abuse of football stadiums is popular among dictators. Pinochet used to do the same thing. Shoot and torture his opponents in them. Since Pinochet and Hussien (or shall I get back on first name terms and call them Saddam and Augusto) both had CIA backing, at least for a bit, it would be interesting to know if this idea originated in the CIA torture training files... footballisnotmygod.blogspot.com It seems a bit of a weird one to me- “you’re free now- you can play soccer! Just make sure you don’t get get blown up on your way their.”

In a world understandably fraught with paranoia about US colonial ambition the most important part of trying to win hearts and minds would seem to not actually try act like your trying to win hearts and minds. And just get on with the solemn business of ensuring water, power, security, transport, and every other aspect of infrastructure that coudln’t withstand war, sanctions, invasion, and civil war/strife.

There is something darkly comic about the whole scenario.

“The Americans said they were coming to set us free. They said they wanted to make things better after Saddam. But now my son Mustafa has only one leg, my daughter is dead, and it is not safe enough to visit Baghdad to see my mother. I do not know what the future holds…
Thank god then for the nice new soccer pitch on the edge of town.
It is just a shame Mustafa cannot enjoy it much.”

On another note it seems that the spatial abuse of football stadiums is popular among dictators. Pinochet used to do the same thing. Shoot and torture his opponents in them. Since Pinochet and Hussien (or shall I get back on first name terms and call them Saddam and Augusto) both had CIA backing, at least for a bit, it would be interesting to know if this idea originated in the CIA torture training files…

footballisnotmygod.blogspot.com

]]> By: jp2 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6294 jp2 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:42:38 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6294 "But I will not fault anyone who makes some attempt to me(sic) things better for children." Yes, Iraq is much better for children now... “But I will not fault anyone who makes some attempt to me(sic) things better for children.”

Yes, Iraq is much better for children now…

]]> By: Micah http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6210 Micah Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:25:35 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6210 Iraq is a mess. But I will not fault anyone who makes some attempt to me things better for children. Even if it's just a soccer ball. Especially when there are folks like Peter who moan, complain yet do nothing. Iraq is a mess. But I will not fault anyone who makes some attempt to me things better for children. Even if it’s just a soccer ball. Especially when there are folks like Peter who moan, complain yet do nothing.

]]> By: Peter http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-6128 Peter Sat, 24 Nov 2007 23:59:29 +0000 http://cultureofsoccer.com/2007/11/23/soccer-and-reconstruction-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/#comment-6128 We blew up your country, arrested and tortured your older brother, and killed your extended family. Here - watch me juggle while I hold this M-16. Don't make any sudden moves. Sincerely, Uncle Sam We blew up your country, arrested and tortured your older brother, and killed your extended family. Here – watch me juggle while I hold this M-16. Don’t make any sudden moves.

Sincerely,
Uncle Sam

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