Football vs. Insurgency

Iraq beat Korea to the Asia Cup Finals. What?

Iraq's Jasim Al Hamd (2) celebrates with his teammate after the penalty shootout against South Korea during the 2007 AFC Asian Cup semifinal soccer match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, July 25, 2007. Iraq advanced to its first Asian Cup final by winning a penalty shootout 4-3 over South Korea on Wednesday.

If any country needs a national pride morale boost, it has to be Iraq. From the reporting which I surprisingly heard this morning, it seems soccer has done what the government could not in unifying the people. Unfortunately, some extremists still didn't like chanting and dancing for joy in the streets.

South Korea is further insulted in the Middle East by the Taliban. (Also, middle-age mini skirt sales in SK are off the charts.)