Soccer In Iraq Basically As Screwed Up As Iraq Itself

Iraq has improved by leaps and bounds since its nadir in 2006 and 2007. Unfortunately, those benefits are not being felt by the Iraqi soccer team, who -- through a mixture of FIFA squeamishness and internal Iraqi dissent -- was suspended by FIFA Friday. The New York Times’ analysis of the suspension is plenty long, but it’s interesting reading if the words “soccer” and “Iraq” in conjunction mean anything to you.