I wonder why something like this is not making news? I wonder why other US Congress and Senate members are not complaining, too
 House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to prohibit Iraq from participating in the 2008 Olympic Games:
“This action by the IOC is dismaying and shallow, and it should be reversed at once. American soldiers – and the Iraqi citizens who have so bravely fought at their side – have given their lives to help Iraq join the community of free nations. It is an insult to them, and to the millions they gave their lives to liberate and defend, that the IOC is so wed to its arbitrary and selectively-enforced rules that it won’t allow Iraq to participate in the Olympic Games.
“The people of Iraq have endured a living hell because of the evil of Saddam Hussein and radical jihadists, and it’s sad that they now have to suffer this new indignity at the hands of rigid, inflexible international bureaucrats.
“I urge all Members of Congress, Democrat and Republican alike, to join me in calling on the IOC to immediately rescind its decision and allow the people of Iraq to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games.â€
The issue is that the IOC banned Iraq from participating in the Olympics (which might actually be the best thing for the athletes health, mind you, due to the horrendous air quality in China) due to the claim of government interference. If that is the case, I wonder why most countries, including China, are not banned?
“We feel like this is an unjust attack on Iraq at a time when we need the world’s support,” said Maher al-Hilfi, 34, a Baghdad vegetable salesman and self-described sports fanatic who spent the day commiserating with fellow fans. “Sports is the only thing that brings unity to the Iraqis and brings us happiness — and now it has been taken away.”
Unfortunately, the world doesn’t seem to want to support Iraq, and the IOC apparently wants to idulge in a bit of bias. They sure didn’t seem to have a problem with Iraq participating when Saddam was in charge and doing his torture thing.
However, there are talks under way to reverse the decision. All while a smoggy haze covers Beijing just 11 days before the start of something very few really care to watch anymore, especially with all the restrictions, not to mention the inability to actually see the games live, and the certain restrictions by NBC of seeing highlights on any other channel.
