The Common Ills: Iraq's big day in Turkey

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Iraq's big day in Turkey

The two big Iraq stories last week and this week are violence and football. National Iraqi News Agency reports a Falluja sticky bombing claimed 1 life and left another person injured, 2 brothers who were currency exchange workers were shot dead in Kirkuk, 1 contractor was shot dead outside of his Mosul home. Alsumaria adds that an armed attack in Kirkuk left 1 member of the Tigris Operation Command dead and another injured. Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 219 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month.

As the violence has raged in Iraq, Iraq's football team has been on a winning streak in Turkey. Marcus Ghristenson (Guardian) reports:

On the Saturday night, Ali Yaseen was part of the Iraq squad that stunned Chile to reach the last 16 of the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey. On Sunday morning his club back in Iraq, Karbala, announced that their coach, Mohammed Abbas al-Jabouri, had died from the injuries suffered in an attack by anti-terrorism police during a match the previous weekend.
Yaseen, 19, had taken his place on the bench for the game in the knowledge that his coach was in a coma and that seven of his team-mates had been injured in the attack, several of them critically. He knew, too, that if he had not been selected for the Under-20 World Cup, he would most probably have been playing in the match against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and could, quite possibly, have ended up in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Saturday going into Sunday, joy turning to misery.

Futnsoccer offers, "Iraq will need to improve their defensive efforts in order to continue to shock the world in this competition. Unlike Uruguay, Iraq has had a tough time keeping the ball out of the back net. Against Korea Republic the Iraqis looked very impressive on offense, putting up 3 goals and giving their team the advantage 3 different times. But their defensive slip ups allowed the Koreans to tie the game up all 3 times until eventually they were defeated from the penalty spot. Despite the defense being their weak spot, Iraq has a very promising young player in Ali Adnan. This defender has been a huge spark for the Iraqis; not only does he defend well, but he also helps the attacking force of this team." Just-Football.com explores the team's strengths and weaknesses. Excerpt.

When looking for heroes in this team look no further than left back Ali Adnan, a warrior of a man whose strength of character has proved an inspiration to his teammates.
Adnan’s late equalising goal against England kickstarted Iraq’s run to the last four, while his incredible last ditch tackle on Derlis Gonzalez in the dying minutes of normal time at 0-0 against Paraguay in the second round was one of the defining moments of the tournament, an unbelievable challenge.
Adnan’s U-20 World Cup is best summed up by his penalty in the shootout v South Korea. He scored it and began to walk back to the centre circle, as is the norm. Something suddenly sparked in his mind. So he turned around, walked back to Hameed and planted a kiss of encouragement on his keeper’s forehead. Hameed, hopeless in the shootout to that point, then saved the next penalty and Iraq were through.
Such leadership has epitomised Adnan. The 19-year-old has also been solid defensively, committed and enterprising going forward.

The following community sites -- plus Dissident Voice, Antiwar.com, Adam Kokesh, Pacifica Evening News, Susan's On the Edge, Jody Watley, Ms. magazine's blog and The Bat Segundo Show -- updated last night and this morning: