[dfwgator]

President George W. Bush ordered flags to fly at half-staff at the passing of Pope John Paul II in 2005, President Bill Clinton did so for Yitzhak Rabin (1995) and King Hussein of Jordan (1999), and President Ronald Reagan honored Anwar Sadat in 1981, but the historical precedent most often cited is President Lyndon Johnson’s bestowal of the honor in recognition of the passing of Winston Churchill in 1965.

[DoodleDawg]

President George W. Bush ordered flags to fly at half-staff at the passing of Pope John Paul II in 2005, President Bill Clinton did so for Yitzhak Rabin (1995) and King Hussein of Jordan (1999), and President Ronald Reagan honored Anwar Sadat in 1981, but the historical precedent most often cited is President Lyndon Johnson’s bestowal of the honor in recognition of the passing of Winston Churchill in 1965.

Then agree or disagree with the decision, I guess Obama isn't setting a precedent. But Churchill at least had honorary U.S. citizenship while the others did not.

[ConradofMontferrat]

Well now Gator baby, we can ALWAYS count on you to be historically accurate.

And as far as I can remember, (and the shame of it is that I can because I was around back then) you hit the nail on the head.

OTH, I opposed ALL of those incidents, because I believed then as I believe now, that the American Flag, is for Americans only.

I’ll get the usual boo hoos about that stance, but what the heck.

I’m just a podunk who thinks our flag means things. (Not saying you don’t, I don’t know where you stand on the issue, and that’s your choice. Just expressing MY opinion, biased as it is.)

Again, thanks for the reminders.

[Kaslin]

That is a completely different situation. Pope John Paul II in 2005, was the Holy Father for all Catholics, not just those in Rome

[Uri’el-2012]

President Lyndon Johnson’s bestowal of the honor in recognition of the passing of Winston Churchill in 1965.

Churchill was an American and a head of state.