U.S. FLAG
 

Why do you put the U.S. flag on Bagdad? Why do you fly it in Bagdad? I think you should leave iraqi people to decide right now how kind of regime they want. They are not idiot. They don't want Saddam, but sure they know what they want for themselves, so I think is better for them than the only flag that can fly in Iraq is the iraqi flag.

Hey, don't look at me, _I_ didn't do it.

(I think we should fly the flag of Liechtenstein over Iraq... just to keep people guessing.)

Welcome, Rucita!

I think it's a standard military thing to fly your country's flag over a defeated country for a few photo opportunities, then haul it back down again. It's just not left there, and I imagine they'll put up Iraqi flags all over the country. I wouldn't be surprised if the US soldiers had a ready supply of both the Iraqi and the US flag to hand out.

Someone help me out here...the only two instances I've seen of a US flag were 1) in the south a couple of weeks ago and 2) this morning, when it was put over the statue's face. In both instances, the flags have been removed rather quickly, and I would attribute the flag being there in the first place to overwhelming emotion. Has there been something else of which I am not aware?

CentCom has in all cases forbidden any display of an American flag since we are not in fact conquering the country, but depsosing a regime (am I ever spelling this word right?).

In the heat of the moment, guys who are relieved to have achieved their goals probably have demonstrated both their great relief and their great patriotism with a brief showing of the Stars and Stripes...and I can deal with that.

Bringing it down again and replacing it with the Iraqi flag over Saddam's bronze replica's face, then removing the Iraqi flag before yanking the megalomaniacal bastard's effigy down demonstrated the utmost respect for the nation of Iraq and its people.

If we wanted to conquer Iraq and enslave its people, Old Glory would *stay* up, and Gods help the people who tried to take it down. Might may not make right, but it sure helps overthrow wrong.

Well, I can understand if the military puts it up at one of their bases...that seems legit.

I just wanted to confirm that Rucita was perhaps jumping the gun.

Sorry for my English, but what does "jumping the gun" mean?

It's an expression used when someone is playing a game of hopscotch and jumps over a firearm, generally a Walther PPK but any model will do.

No, it's similar to the phrase "jump to conclusion", if you've ever heard that. Basically what it means is making a decision without being completely illuminated by the facts.

Thanks Dave. :)

I wasn't jumping the gun. I just was wondering why you put your flag over there because I think it can induce the many iraqi people's rage, cause I can see they would want to be liberated but not by this way... I don't really know how to explain it :(

Anyway it is true that the U.S. soldier keep that falg out to put the iraqi flag over the Saddam's bronce face, which is a great correction.

The flag thing was an individual acting on emotion. Thankfully, it isn't our position to take over the country, and I don't think we'll be seeing too many raised American flags over there.

As Colin Powell said, we've sent many men and women forth from our shores over the last 100 years, and all we've asked for in return is enough land to bury those that didn't come home. I don't think this will be any different.

[ edit - left an "L" off Powell ]

That got a grin out of me.

Ohhh..!! I was waiting for the right opportunity to pull out the Powell quote. You beat me to it D!

Well, there is Guam (still a US territory) and the Phillipines (now independent), though I think they were taken over 100 years ago.

The US, whether the US likes it or not, is a conquering and occupying power. And, like it or not, the US military will have to administer the nation for a while -- eventually the looting will cease to be useful to US forces there. Whether they actually raise the flag or not is a matter of diplomacy, not fact.

BTW, I think it's pretty clear at this point that Saddam Hussein was at least as much of a bastard as Bush and company claimed he was. I was not surprised at the reactions of many in the south of Iraq; after all, it's fairly well-accepted that Saddam oppressed the hell out of the Shi'ite majority in the south. And also well-known that the US betrayed them after the first Gulf war. But now the US is in the areas which are supposed to be Saddam's stronghold, and the people are tearing down statues of Saddam.

I wonder if he even has popular support in his home town of Tikrit.

That particular US flag has some history, as it was apparently hanging at the Pentagon on 9/11/01.

Now, did anyone take note of the fact that when the Iraqi flag was draped over the statue, it was the pre-Gulf War I flag, not Saddam's version with the Arabic "God is Great" text on it that he added in a PR move to try to engender support from the Islamic Govt's in the region?

As far as I am aware, every major news network took note of that. "...it was replaced with Iraq's pre-Gulf War flag..." etc.