In the prestigious Asia Cup Iraq topped Saudia Arabia 1-0. The AP reported: Despite a security crackdown, curfews banning vehicles, and decrees forbidding the penchant in this part of the world to grab an AK-47 and rip off celebratory rounds, people rejoiced in the streets — and gunfire roared. It roared across Baghdad at the second-half goal against Saudi Arabia. It was deafening when the underdog Lions sealed the 1-0 victory in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Iraq team's win dripped with symbolism, not least in the makeup of its front-line strikers: one Kurd, one Shiite, one Sunni. In Sulaimaniyah, the Kurdish city in the north, Amir Mohammed, a Shiite Arab who had moved to the area from southern Iraq, walked through the streets arm-in-arm with his Kurdish friend Shaman Aziz.
When I was a child I thought armed conflict would be a thing of the past when I reached adulthood. I thought America needed to improve its soccer game because armed conflict would obviously be settled by the world's game, futbol. A child's dream I guess. Despite the outpouring of unity yesterday think progress had this early this morning.
Within a few hours, a minibus exploded in a Baghdad market, killing at least six people. In all, 58 people nationwide were killed by bombings and attacks.
And a new report says eight million Iraqis are in need of emergency aid. The report by Oxfam said the government was failing to provide basics such as food and shelter for eight million people. It warned of a humanitarian crisis that had escalated since the 2003 invasion.
Still, for one day a Shiite, a Kurd and a Sunni could root for the same thing, a team, but for how long?
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