Additional Photos Needed For Further Study

Someone alert Kofi Annan and Jonathan Chait–here’s one area where Iraq has undergone a positive transformation since the fall of Saddam: In December of 2002, ESPN ran a remarkable segment on television, “Blood On The Rings“. It highlighted the unspeakable cruelty by which Uday Hussein oversaw Iraq’s Olympic team. Perhaps surprisingly, its accompanying Webpage is still up. Take a minute to reread it.

And then for a look at how things have changed since, click on Gateway Pundit’s look at Iraq’s efforts to, umm, expose democracy through sports:

Iraq just happened to be the only Muslim nation out of 16 that entered into the women’s volleyball competition at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

…Proof that democracy has perks!

Just imagine how bizarre the words “Iraqi Volleyball Babes” would have been five years ago (probably about as bizarre as this headline).

More team photos, please!