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

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

[BunnySlippers]

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

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Army has barred any display of the American flag in Iraq on vehicles, buildings, statues and command posts, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The report said Gen. William S. Wallace, the commander of the Army's V Corps, sent a message Thursday to his commanders in Iraq and Kuwait.

The Times quoted the message as saying, "U.S./coalition forces continue operations to remove/disarm the Saddam regime and liberate Iraq. Displaying the American flag counters the perception that we are liberators and allows enemy and other bad actors to use the images of our flags prominently displayed to reinforce their message that the U.S. is here to oppress the Iraqis."

The report said the message added, "The pride and patriotism of V Corps soldiers is beyond question and the motivation to display our flag is understandable."

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

The report said the order effectively halts the display of the flag anywhere in Iraq except the U.S. Embassy.

At the start of the war, the Times said, the Coalition Forces Land Component Command near Kuwait City ordered troops not to place the American flag on vehicles or buildings. The order, the report said, was loosely followed.

The order comes one day after a U.S. Marine briefly placed an American flag atop a statue of Saddam Hussein in central Baghdad shortly before the statue was toppled.

-By Steven C. Higgins
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-10-03 1213ET- - 12 13 PM EDT 04-10-03

[Darksheare]

Not the point.
It's an insult to everything that our soldiers fight for, as well as an insult to our soldiers.

And we're still dealing with Clintonoid officers in the ranks who thrive on screwing over soldiers.
I can speak about them from experience.
So this is personally rankling for myself.

[AndrewC]

Arrest her, she's sending the wrong message.

[Darksheare]

She's pandering to anti-arab hate!! / joke!!
I'd hand her another flag instead.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Your post doesn't make sense.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It's a cute picture, though. Glad you agreed with me about how this looks much better when from the perspective of the liberated. :-)

"Distribute many many American flags to the Iraqi people. Let THEM joyously dance through the streets waving those. Get all international journalists to film it. It will look much better we being waved in and welcomed as liberators rather than conquerors."--AmericanInTokyo

[AndrewC]

Your post doesn't make sense.

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

[Darksheare]

She needs another one in her other hand.

[Landru]

"The report said Gen. William S. Wallace, the commander of the Army's V Corps, sent a message Thursday to his commanders in Iraq and Kuwait."

Let us remember this "commander" of the V Corps serves at the pleasure of our Commander & Chief as do all *commanders*.
His "orders" concerning the display of Old Glory came from *somewhere* above his station.
I'd bet of it.

Having said that then, this decision has the *feel* of "diplomatic reasoning."

...or should that be, reek.

[First_Salute]

Salute

[snopercod]

Re your 78: Exactly. You nailed it.

[snopercod]

I saved that photo of Saddam with the flag on his head on my hard drive, since it has been banned by the American media.

Even Brit Hume sounded embarassed when the Marine did his "evil deed" (according to the media) on live TV.

[Jeff Head]

I have it ... and a lot of the others the press will not show on my Winning Iraq Freedom Site .... click the banner:

Best Fregards.

[gdc61]

i agree with you, flags on our uniforms and on our military vehicles is plenty. putting up a flag is like declaring ownership. i don't remember any u.s. flags on poles around france after their liberation during wwii.

[gdc61]

its the difference between liberation and conquest. did we hoist flags in panama or granada or kosavo or any other liberating military exersize?

[Darksheare]

Egads, I was hoping I didn't understand the arab thinking that well.
(Especially when loopy and disadvantaged in ability by cold meds. They make me slap happy.)
I just re-read it and thought to myself, "I usually don't make that much sense.."

[BraveMan]

Now THAT is a cool picture!