Iraq 4, Portugal 2

Iraq becomes a new power in soccer

MSNBC reports that Iraq beat Portugal, a leading European soccer power, by 4-2 in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Iraq was a surprise addition to the Olympic tournament. The nation managed to cobble together a team amid ongoing conflict at home and efforts to rebuild an Olympic committee that was previously run by Saddam Hussein’s late son, Odai, who allegedly tortured players when they fell out of favor.

In May, Iraq clinched an Olympic soccer berth just three months after being reinstated by the International Olympic Committee. Two months later, the team’s German coach, Bernd Stange, resigned, claiming authorities advised him to leave for his safety.

He was replaced by his assistant, Adnan Hamad, who coached Iraq’s national soccer team to victory in the West Asian Championship in 2002 and played on the national team during the early 1980s.

In July, Iraq reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup that included a 2-1 win over regional soccer power Saudi Arabia.

Besides being a real upset, this is the sort of thing that tells the Iraqi people that they are now part of the world community. While nobody is going to say it, George Bush should get a lot of the credit.

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