Football is freedom without force

The first team courageous enough to play in Baghdad since 2002 is… Palestinian. Even if a football field should be the only place Palestinians and Iraqis are wreathed in flowers, let it not go unnoticed.

‘At least before losing, even the Palestinian team was delighted by the significance of the match and had pointed words for the United States, which at least one player viewed as partially responsible for Iraq’s troubles. “I’m filled with joy and happiness to play in front of the Iraqi people. They are great fans of soccer,” said Palestinian soccer player Yahya Badran. “I call on all the Arab national teams to play in Iraq to break the embargo—the American embargo—just like the Palestinian soccer team did.’ (Photo by Saad Khalaf/L.A. Times.)