[Alberta's Child]

That's not just "symbolic."

Whenever the U.S. seal is normally displayed, the eagle is shown holding an olive branch in its claws. When the U.S. is at war, the olive branch is replaced by a bunch of arrows.

As far as I know, the seal has had the arrows in it every time it's been displayed since 9/11.

[jae471]

Take a closer look. The eagle always has both the olive branch and the arrows -- check a $1 bill.

Now note that the head of the eagle in the picture is still looking at the olive branch. We are not officially at war, otherwise the eagle would be looking at the arrows.

OTOH, the draping of the flag to show the arrows is intentional and deliberate.

[Sid Rich]

Not so. The eagle in the Great Seal of the United States has an olive branch in one talon, arrows in the other. It isn't changed just because we're at war.

http://www.greatseal.com/

[Redcloak]

The seal has both arrows and an olive branch. Traditionally, the eagle's head turns toward the arrows in time of war.