Years ago I watched a series of exclusive interviews with failed Palestinian suicide bombers now imprisoned in Israel. One of the men interviewed was asked what he did before he tried to blow himself up, what his hobbies were, etc. The guy expressed a deep love for soccer and when he talked about it his eyes lit up and a smile appeared on his face and for a moment he wasnt this terrible monster who tried to kill himself and Israeli civilians. He was a regular guy like me or one of my friends who is in love with The Beautiful Game.

Finally at the peak of his bliss they asked him, “What if there was a soccer game in a great big stadium and thousands of people were there, could you go there and blow yourself up?” He started shaking his head in disbelief, he stayed silent and said nothing. They insisted, “would you go there and kill all those people?” It was too much for him to handle and he finally started crying and screaming, “no, no I cant! I couldnt do such a thing!” I wish the Iraqi murderers who targeted large groups of soccer fans celebrating Iraqs victory over Korea had as many reservations.

Any death is sad in Iraq but as the headlines pile up I get desensitized. Sectarian hate is like a raging inferno that wont stop until it burns to the ground, the flames are too hot and too tall to be squelched. All I ask for is pauses in the madness, moments in which murderers revert back to humanity and take a break, if not during your nations soccer match then when? It may seem idealistic but wars have stopped for soccer matches like in 1967 when Pele visited Nigeria and the civil war was put on hold for two days. Or last summer when Ivory Coast’s first World Cup appearance ended the countries civil war. No sense of nationalism could save Iraqis yesterday, bombs killed more than 50, maybe a sign of the last bits of hope being blown away.

Iraq plays Saudi Arabia next in the Asian Cup finals. (how Ironic and twisted is that, someone up there is looking down and laughing) Good luck to Iraqi soccer and good luck to Iraqis.

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