Great Benefit to the Residents of Baghdad !

[CaptnKirk]

Yeah, this is well worth the liberation isn't it ?
(Washington Post)

When the fourth race at the Baghdad Equestrian Club got underway Friday, No. 1, a big-boned gray named Fawal, was heavily favored to win. But No. 6, the muscular, chocolate-colored Burhana, pulled ahead at the final turn, maintained his lead and finished first by a neck.

The all-male crowd in the stands, many of them chronic gamblers and most of them scruffy, booed and grumbled in disappointment as they watched the instant replay. But for once, few doubted that the contest had been fair, and neither Fawal's jockey nor his trainer had to fear being jailed and beaten for the costly upset.

Former president Saddam Hussein's son Uday "used to run this club, and his horses had to win or the jockey would be punished. One was beaten and kicked to death right in front of the stands," said Raad Samir, 32, a businessman who owns several race horses. "Now it is much more comfortable. A jockey can win or lose without fear."

 

[CADsortaGUY]

OMG!!! We liberated them so they could race horses?!!! What on earth were we thinking? Maybe we should beat or kill the losers so they feel more at ease - no?

CkG

 

[Red Dawn]

and as nightfall approached no doubt many of them scurried of to home to prepare for that night's attacks on American troops!

 

[Genesys]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
and as nightfall approached no doubt many of them scurried of to home to prepare for that night's attacks on American troops!

LOL!

thats funny in a sick sort of way.

 

[Flyermax2k3]

Distractions for the masses, anyone? "Give them entertainment and they will submit to your every whim"

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

But for once, few doubted that the contest had been fair, and neither Fawal's jockey nor his trainer had to fear being jailed and beaten for the costly upset.

Yes, this was worth it. I think that especially here, where a lot of times we try to think about things that are "bigger" or "higher" than the mundane things, it's common and easy for us to overlook the importance of small, simple things that we take for granted. Something as silly as watching horse races (or more likely for Americans, at least on the west coast, would be popping off to Las Vegas for the weekend with some friends and family) is just one of the many, many small pieces of freedom that make life a little more full, a little more happy.

Think about things you and I enjoy and probably take for granted. We can pop off to a movie pretty much when we like. If we want to shop for that new CD we can do so. We can sit in this forum and talk smack about George W. all day long and we're secure in the knowledge that whatever else might be bad about the man, he can't and won't come and through us in jail, deprive our loved ones of food or feed us feet-first into a plastic shredding machine.

It's precisely these little things that we take for granted and that we fail to realize that people in other countries cannot take for granted, but ask yourself this question: if a government came to power that took all those rights and privileges away from you--all these little things, to say nothing of larger things--would you stand up and fight for them? Would you hope that others would come to stand with you, knowing that your fight was righteous?

I ask you only to think about the everyday things, little virtues and vices that are all your own and that make up who you are and what your life is, and consider how important those little, forgotten things are.

Those are the things that the Iraqi people are now going to get back.

Jason