And loses big. I don't want another repeat of this. I want the Iraqis to have victory ripped from them at the last moment and leave them with a bitter defeat.
Why?
Because I want the world to take notice. I want the world to see the looks on their faces and remember them - for the next game.
Because if they lose, they will be back again. Had the US not gone to Iraq, many of the men you would see walking off the field would be horrified. Not at losing the game, but at what probably awaited them when they returned.
An exhibit in a Baghdad stadium last month showed some of the dreadful tools that Uday employed against his cowering athletes: An iron-maiden-like casket, with spikes on the inside, into which he forced those who displeased him, and chain whips with steel barbs the size of tennis balls attached to the end. [link] {h/t michele}
But now, if they lose, they will be able to savor the moment. They will be allowed to reflect on the loss and figure out how to improve their strategy rather than worrying about being beaten to death. They will go home, knowing they tried their best and work at getting better instead of working at staying alive.
Every single American life lost in Iraq is one too many. Every life lost on 9/11 was one too many. Sometimes, though, we make these hard decisions because we know that in the long run, it will be worth it.
For all the whining from those who think that war is the worst possible thing ever, I wonder how many of them ever thought about being enclosed in an iron maiden because they lost a game? For every brave soldier that lost their life fighting for the Iraqis, there are hundreds of thousands that will live a better life in trade.
Also Rolling With It:
INDC Journal
Tacitus
Wizbang
rolled out on
Friday, August 13, 2004 9:24 AM