From the Front

Michael at A Day In Iraq is launching "Operation Soccer Ball".

What are the Iraqi people in general, and the Iraqi children in particular, passionate about? In a word, soccer. Actually it?s football to them, but we know it as soccer. They have more passion for the game of soccer than we ever thought of having for football or baseball. I?ve yet to meet a child, or an adult for that matter, who doesn?t have at least some interest in the game of soccer. Forget bowl season, the World Series, March Madness, and the Super Bowl, they don?t care. Their ?Field of Dreams? isn?t a baseball field in the middle of an Iowa cornfield. Their ?Field of Dreams? is a soccer field in any open area of Iraq. Streets, fields, farms, the dusty ground off the side of the road, or the lush green land of a farm. On sand or on pavement, no place is safe from the stampeding feet of Iraqis chasing a soccer ball. In every mission I?ve been on, I?ve never once failed to witness a game of soccer.

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If they don?t have a soccer ball they?ll use anything as a substitute. I?ve seen kids kicking around a rock with as much passion and glee than if they were playing in the World Championship. They need soccer balls, and I want to give them one. What a better way to convey the goodwill of America and American soldiers than by giving them the soccer balls that they so desperately desire. You want to continue to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis, give them the tool that will enable them to do something they love. Besides guns and ammo, every humvee, tank, truck, Bradley, Stryker, and helicopter should come armed with soccer balls as well. How I would love to be standing out the top of my humvee, having the guys below feed soccer balls up to me, so I could then throw them to any children I pass. Why not airplanes too? I can picture C130's flying over cities and towns throughout Iraq, dropping soccer balls from its cargo hold with little parachutes attached to each one. It?s doable. Crazier things have happened. Or have helicopters hover over a school during recess and drop a bunch of soccer balls to the delight of the kids below. We can rain down hellfire on the heads of terrorists, turn around, and shower the good people of Iraq with peace in the form of a soccer ball. The love of sports, in this case soccer, can be an instrument of peace and a bond that is common to us all. It will transcend our cultural differences and our languages. It will also mitigate the feelings of some Iraqis that see our presence in their land as aggravating.

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More than any of these, I need you. I need you to spread the word. I need you to contact any soldier that you know serving in Iraq. I need you to donate balls. I don?t care if we get 100 or one million balls into the hands of the Iraqi children. Each one will make a difference. We soldiers can only get so many packages filled with snacks, baby wipes, magazines, and other nonessential items. Don?t get me wrong, these packages are greatly appreciated, but I bet the majority of us wouldn?t mind sacrificing a few packages for a soccer ball that we can pass on to some kid.

I know the readers of TMG can help in this worthwhile endeavor.

UPDATE: Please send any suggestions to here or here
And if you're coming from a link the paypal button at bottom of this page is for Mudville NOT Operation Soccer Ball, so PLEASE send donations for this directly to him. Contact him to make these arrangements.