Without a national survey of Iraqis, without a vote or imput of any kind from the Iraqi people, without even an elected government to give a fig leaf of legitimacy to the hoisting of a new national symbol upon Iraq... the U.S. hand picked "leaders" of Iraq have announced the new flag which will fly on all Iraqi government buildings in a matter of days.

The flag features a white field upon which is emblazoned a blue crescent, representing Islam. The new banner also displays two blue stripes at the bottom representing the Tigris and the Euphrates, separated by a yellow stripe in a nod to the country's Kurdish population.

Aside from the fact that the new national symbol is to be imposed upon Iraq by an occupation army and it's hand picked government (an afront that is sure to inflame Iraqi nationalism), the banner also bares an uncanny resemblance to the Israeli national flag, a fact not likely to go unnoticed by the Arab world who unanimously views the Israeli occupation of Arab land as the main problem facing the Middle East. In fact, the new flag bares such a startling resemblance to the Israeli flag, both in it's colors and design... that it's hard not to see it's imposition as a clear provocation, a gauntlet thrown down to Arab nationalism.

The replacement of Iraq's traditional colors and the imposition of a new national flag, raise some disturbing questions.

1) By what right does an occupying power change the national colors of a conquered people? Even in it's destruction and occupation of Imperial Japan, the U.S. did not change the colors and basic design of Japan's "Rising Sun" banner.

2) If the U.S. believes in the "separation of church and state", then why a flag incorporating a religious symbol? If the U.S. stands for secular democracy, then why a flag that displays the Islamic crescent? Many Arab flags bare no religious symbols.

3) Can the U.S. actually be so insensitive as to think that a flag imposed upon an Arab nation will not whip up a hysterical reaction from every quarter of the Arab world, from pro-Western moderates to anti-Western fundamentalist enemies?

4) Can U.S. policy makers actually be so reckless as to endanger the health and well being of the Jewish people by imposing this look alike Israeli flag upon Iraq? The Islamic fundamentalists Washington purports to oppose will all be saying that a "Jewish flag is flying over Baghdad!"

5) Does the U.S. actually believe that the Kurds, who have their own national flag (top bar red, middle bar white, bottom bar green - with a yellow sunburst in the center of the white field), will accept this banner? The Kurdish Peshmerga (Independence fighters, literally "those who face death"), have been martyred in the thousands carrying their own choosen flag in their hearts.

Aljazeera covers the story of Iraq's altered flag, at:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/94E338BA-2CAF-4267-A9FC-5C425A108CE1.htm

Agence France Presse covers the story, at:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/iraq_us_flag

A consise history explaining the evolution of the Arab national colors of red, green, white, and black, can be found at the "Jordan Jubilee" website, at:
http://www.jordanjubilee.com/genjord/fllags.htm

A brief history of Iraq's national colors can be found at the following website:
http://www.angelfire.com/nt/Gilgamesh/flags.html

An interactive display of the flags of the Arab world can be found at:
http://www.arab.net/
... the display allows you to pass your mouse over a flag to indentify which nation it represents.

www.drudgereport.com

Hamid Kifaie, the chief spokesman for the Governing Council, said Monday night that the winning design, by Rifaat Chaderchi , an Iraqi artist, was chosen from among 30 entries. A committee of council members felt best it represented the major values and attributes of Iraq, Kifaie said.

"This flag represents the democracy and freedom of the new Iraq, where the old one represented killing and oppression and dictatorship," he said. "We are not imposing this flag on the people; it was chosen by the legitimate representatives of Iraq. When a new national assembly is elected, it can decide whether to keep it or change it."

"it was chosen by the legitimate representatives of Iraq."
It's hard to sleep when you're laughing.

Betsy Al-Rosshad quoted the Drudge Report:

"This flag represents the democracy and freedom of the new Iraq... "

Actually, that quote was pulled from a report by a reporter from the Washington Post's Foreign Service, Pamela Constable. Ms Constable's article is titled, "Iraqis Say Council-Approved National Flag Won't Fly." The article is an examination of Iraqi public opinion regarding the new flag... and it is extremely negative. Here's a quote "Betsy Al-Rosshad" left out:

>> When I saw it in the newspaper, I felt very sad," said Muthana Khalil, 50, a supermarket owner in Saadoun, a commercial area in central Baghdad. "The flags of other Arab countries are red and green and black. Why did they put in these colors that are the same as Israel? Why was the public opinion not consulted? <<

The full Washington Post article can be found at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43438-2004Apr26

error

"flag waver" sought to add a comment by an Iraqi supermarket owner who is unhappy with the flag. BFD. are we supposed to be now shocked that not everyone agrees on everything?

nothing was attempted to be hidden. you're free to go read the article at drudge for yourselves.

When a new national assembly is elected, it can decide whether to keep it or change it."

there will always be something for leftists to whine about in Iraq, when not mourning saddam.

Yeah, with the secular Baathists and the Islamic militants - the two most popular political groups in the country - banned or in prison. What a joke. And this "Assembly" will decide on the flag and on other issues? With no pressure from the occupying American force, which is the only thing protecting them from the wrath of the Iraqi people? That is an even bigger joke. The Assembly = the Vichy French government.

You just can't resist making the Nazi slur, can you? You're a total idiot if you think the Baathists and Islamic fundametalists are the most popular groups in Iraq.

Al'Sistani has by far the largest following in Iraq, and he supports the American presence.

Also in the news, the current one party regime of the United States unfurled a new US flag today.

if Buch were --really-- a nazi, he'd round up all the liberal commie twats who opposed him and gas them.

hell, it's still a good idea.

But you are.

(laughing) you'd better hope I am. an effeminate liberal man is only good for crocheting.

That nazis are butterballs. [ they put butter on their balls]

Shouldn't you be over in Iraq helping me look for them elusive WMD's instead of making an idiot out of yourself?

Sure, he's making an idiot of himself, but he'd also be making an idiot of himself looking for wmds in Iraq. Not even Bush claims that he is doing that anymore, except during moronic comedy routines.

error

But it looks like you've been eating too many cheetos.

error

It looks as though this "kobe hq" is in need of a bra.