US Army Bans Display Of American Flags In Iraq - NY Times

Dow Jones News Wire | 4/10/03 | Steven C. Higgins

[sargon]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of violators of this rule...

[mabelkitty]

Army, not Marine Corps.

Marines do it the way Ironworkers top off a building with a pine tree. It's tradition.

[HELLRAISER II]

My first reflex is to say this is Bull$hit (which it is) however you are absolutely right. The Arab Media would do this at the first opportunity, unfortunately I think this is the right decision considering the obstacles that we have already faced and the ones that have yet to raise their ugly head.

[smith288]

We will just let the liberated folks do the flag waving.

[antaresequity]

If not showing the Flag saves lives...than get over it folks...we are bigger...much bigger

The Arab cultures are cultures of hyperbole...such as swatting Saddam in the face witha shoe...

Lets observe their culture and SAVE LIVES

[Borneo1]

How about University Of Georgia Flags? Are they acceptable?

[wanderin]

What about the US flags the freed Iraqii's are flying?

I would like to ask the Iraqi demonstrators where they found US flags to fly in Iraq.

Wal-Mart?

[MineralMan]

This is a carefully thought-out political decision. We have stated clearly that we are not there to take over Iraq...only to depose a corrupt regime.

Our first order of business soon will be to help the Iraqis install their own government. If we were conquerors, raising the US flag would make sense. We are not.

Let the Iraqis display the US flag if they want. That's a good thing. But...we should not be flaunting the flag ourselves.

Let's get in there, pacify the country, and get a government installed, then get the heck out of there. That's what we said we'd do, so let's do it.

I expect this decision about the flag will be altered shortly, to allow flag display on US property, like our tanks, etc. But the wrapping of Sadaam's head in the flag was a wrong-headed thing to do. In the first place, it is not the proper way to display the flag. In the second, it is not us who benefits from Hussein being gone...it is the people of Iraq.

[ladtx]

I noticed some were homemade.

[misterrob]

Folks this is not just a war of bullets but of PR as well and anyone who ignores that is missing the bigger picture. Are we there to conquer or liberate? Are we claiming the land as ours or are we returning it to the people? Do we want the Arab world to view as conquerers? And yes, we had better care what they think unless of course we plan on fighting everyone or having moderate governments fall to their extremists.

[King David]

"...And that flag still stands for freedom, And they can't take that awaaaayyy!!!!"

--Lee Greenwood.

The display of the American flag has nothing to do with domination. It has ALL to do with liberation and freedom.

[proust]

Isn't banning the American flag a form of OPPRESSION? If they can't wave whatever flag they want, they aren't liberated

[varon]

It added, however, that, "in this environment the display of our flag is not helpful."

What flag should be displayed then? The UN flag, or perhaps the French or German flags?

Should our troops wear masks and other disguises so as not to give away their identity.

Should we make it appear that the coalition forces are really the "Iraqi army in exile" making its triumphant return to liberate their nation? This international PC is a bunch of Bovine Splatter!

[Capriole]

What about Confederate flags? There was sure no shortage of them flying atop tanks in Desert Storm. I think that would be hilarious, a stick in the eye to both the type of bureaucrat that would order the American flag to remain invisible as well as any who would question our pride and our presence in Iraq. But then, I have no taste or discretion, no sense of decorum; I am but an ill-bred Southern lady without training in international diplomacy. I like few things more than annoying those who imagine themselves to be sophisticated. Don't listen to me.

[Borneo1]

[CaptainJustice]

It sucks, but its probably the right thing to do. This is freedom for Iraqis, not conquest for america. You and I know that, and we know the flag is a show of pride, but we have to keep up appearances. Don't worry, I'll fly an extra flag now. :)

[UncleSamUSA]

While I can understand to some degree the feeling that we want to reinforce our status as Liberators to a somewhat skeptical Arab worldwide audience...

I also strongly believe that it is part of the Arab and Muslim enemy's strategy to make us embarassed to fly our own flag, and to be embarassed by our own pride in country.

Look how many leftist jerks right here in the US of A are telling our own schools and govt buildings they should take down the Stars and Stipes because someone "might be offended".

I'll tell you what: the only people "offended" or "radicalized" by the sight of the US Flag are America haters who will never like us no matter what we do.

We have become so "sensitively attuned" to the al Jazeera's of the world and the French scumsucking bastards of the world, that when we see a brave US Marine proudly displaying the US flag on enemy soil, we recoil and say "take it down, so the Arabs won't hate us more."

Maybe someday, the PC-Correct State Dept and the PC-Correct high military officers will say: LEAVE THE US FLAG UP THERE TO LET THE STINKING ARAB WORLD SEE EXACTLY WHO HAS THE P-O-W-E-R AND WHO DOESNT.

By the way: the US Marine is a 23-year old from hereabouts in Brooklyn New York, and local papers today said that his family emigrated from oppression in Burma 23 years ago right before he was born. He always wanted to be a US Marine when he was growing up and he got his wish, joining up 4 years ago. Great, great story. Sorry if that offends you, Genl. Wallace.

[Howlin]

Bump.

[winner3000]

I think the American flag painted on tanks or as a patch on the uniforms would be great. However, I agree that the American flag on the soil of Iraq would be a huge mistake. We won a great victory, and it would be a shame to fritter away the peace dividend by giving opponents the ammo they need. The Iraqi people obviously know who liberated them. What we don't want to do is allow the other dictators in the region to use selected pictures in their continued brainwashing of their people. Iraq was just one battle in the war to change things in the Middle East. Let's give ourselves the best chance to win that war too.

[Gee Wally]

But the wrapping of Sadaam's head in the flag was a wrong-headed thing to do.

I read (at the CNN site, I think) an interview with the Marine who was holding the flag over the Saddam statue. He said it was handed to him by an Iraqi. FWIW.