Display of U.S. Flag Barred After Unfurling on Statue

[thedrifter]

COMMAND CENTER
Display of U.S. Flag Barred After Unfurling on Statue
By BERNARD WEINRAUB


V CORPS HEADQUARTERS, in northern Kuwait, April 10 ? Officers whooped and hollered in the Army's command center on Wednesday as they watched the televised scene of a United States marine draping an American flag over the face of a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.

Then there were second thoughts.

Today, the Army, seeking to demonstrate that its troops in Iraq are liberators and not conquerors, barred any display of the American flag on vehicles, buildings, statues and command posts.

The order, which effectively halts the display of the flag anywhere in Iraq except the United States Embassy, said that flying the flag on buildings in Iraq would only reinforce the anti-American message that the military was "here to oppress the Iraqis."
In issuing the order today, the military tacitly acknowledged that it was deeply concerned about the perception, among Arabs and others, that American soldiers and marines in Iraq were an occupation force that would rule the nation for years. Displaying the flag would reinforce that image, officers said.

"It's an issue of perception," Gen. William S. Wallace, the V Corps commander, told his staff this morning. "It's an issue of decorum."

At the start of the war, the Coalition Forces Land Component Command at Camp Doha, near Kuwait City, ordered soldiers, marines and Air Force personnel not to display the American flag on vehicles or buildings. That order was loosely followed until Wednesday, when the marine briefly unfurled the flag on the face of the statue. The command center, made up mostly of midlevel and senior officers, seemed to burst into shouts and applause. Moments later, the marine removed the flag, apparently on orders from a superior.

Today, Brig. Gen. Daniel A. Hahn, the V Corps chief of staff, said it was natural for American soldiers to carry the flag and place it at various sites in Iraq.

"It's a source of great pride," he said."It's seen as like a gift to Iraq."

But General Hahn added that sensitivity to Iraqi pride and nationalism was foremost in the minds of the American military, as the United States helps Iraq reshape its government.

"We don't want to flaunt our power," he said.

General Wallace sent the message to Army commanders today after telling his officers that the "open display" of American flags in Iraq was "not appropriate."

"The Iraqi people should know that we're not here to occupy this country," he said.

The order sent out to the Army officers in Iraq and Kuwait said: "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 pride and patriotism of V Corps soldiers is beyond question and the motivation to display our flag is understandable," the message continued. "In this environment the display of our flag is not helpful."


Sempers,

Roger

[philly]

I'm sorry I don't agree with the barring of our flag. We conquered a cowardice government not the innocent. The flag was draped around Sadaam because he was overthrown. We freaken have to walk on eggshells in everything we do anymore because it may not be "politically correct".

Our men and women's hands are slapped for draping and hanging our flags in pride. I thought I was upset when some of our Marines were ordered to take to one knee and point their weapons downward in front of the Iraqi people a few days ago, but this is even more disturbing.

[Arrow]

what Philly said...

Arrow>>>>

[reconeil]

Apparently The Liberated Iraqi People rubber-stamp your disagreeing about displaying The American Flag. After all, I never believed I would see so many Iraqis waving same in a million years.

Still, and in fairness to The American Military, the war isn't TOTALLY over, and there are still a lot of unfriendlies out there bent on killing as many Coalition Forces (especially Americans) that they can sneak-up-on, bomb, terrorize or just run across. Thusly, why should any smart Trooper want to flag his position? Given the circumstances, camo seems more appropriate than a flag to me. Call me: "Chicken" or whatever. But, at least call me: "A sensible Chicken".

This time, and even though a personal rarity, I have to fully agree with The Brass. Normally, I would more so go along with Sergeants and/or those getting the job done.

That's just my 2 cents.

Neil

[Arrow]

Neil,


Of course we know thatthe troops can't walk around Bagdad draped in theRed, White and Blue. However the troop trying to drape the flag on the statue the other day was already in avery precarious exposed position and world opinion was not really on my mind watching him. I just wanted to see him throw it up there and get the hell off the rig before he got shot. Instead some commander had him doing a ballet of death trying to get just the right picture.

Arrow>>>>>

[Keith_Hixson]

In Spirit I agree with all of you about the U.S. Flag.

However, I fully understand the tight rope they are walking. We as a nation want to make the point we aren't conquerering Iraq for our own economic gain but to protect the world from terrorism and the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Waving the American flag in victory could give the wrong impression to the Arabic World who has come to believe that we as a nation are imperialistic. It is a right decision not to unfold the American flag as conquerers even though emotionally I'd love to see it flying high.

Keith

[Andy]

We have two flag poles on our property. We always fly the American flag and on occasion fly another flag, such as the 25th Division flag. Proud to be an American.
However there's another point of view on the Iraqi thing.
While in Vietnam my parents sent me a local newspaper once a week. I recall in '68 a guy named Alexander Dubcek was running things in Czechoslovakia. He was pro-Western and lifted many of the bonds of communism from his people. In August the Russians invaded his country and brought them back into the fold. One of the front page photos I recall was Russian tanks in down town Prague flying the flag of the USSR. It really got me angry.
People not in love with the US must have gotten the same feeling from seeing our flag covering Saddam's face on that statue. God bless the US military and I don't blame that kid who put our flag on Saddam. But if not doing things like that will cause less Islam violence towards Americans, that should be our goal.
Everyone knows who is winning/won the war in Iraq. As much as we might want to rub it in the faces of other, kicking a guy when he's down has no class at all.
Now carrying the U.S. flag down a main street in Paris, that would take guts and I like the idea. Hey Sid, what are you doing next weekend?

Stay healthy,
Andy

[PHO127]

We are having a Psyco Vets campout on Psyco Mountain, Got to cook a pig for everyone to eat. The mountain boys are busy installing screw-in-the-ground anchors so we can tether Lt and keep him away from open flame. We plan on having Easter sunrise services on the mountain, (THANK GOD I MADE IT THROUGH THIS). BUT I am free the weekend after, We could get a bunch of Psyco Vets together and wear out shirts and march throught Paris. They would probably surrender to us though and then we would have to take care of them again.

We want to avoid at all costs the appearances that we are after territory or Iraqi resource's, If not displaying the flag helps, then do it. I do disagreed though with not flying the flag on US vehicles, and armored vehicles, These are US property (no different than a US Embassy) and if we want to fly the flag there then we should. A tank is just like political assassination, Just diplomacy sternly spoken.

Some may want to compare this with the flag incident in Hue but they are entirely different. The Marines removed a North Vietnam flag from (I don't remember the exact site) a building in Hue after a long battle for it, they replaced it with the US flag and were told to remove it. The Marine Commander replied if you want it taken down you come on down here and remove it yourself.

The difference was we did not remove a South Vietnam Flag, we removed a flag of another invading country and replaced it with ours. Later the South Vietnam flag was raised to replace the US flag.

[SEATJERKER]

...I think the young Marine might have thought it over for a bit before pulling out the US Flag, and my thoughts would have been to invited an Iraqi man, and woman up there, side by side with their Flag, and unfurled them both at the same time showing a bonding of sorts, not that we were there to conquer them, but just the regime of the "past"...

...going up together might have a difference, but seeing "Old Glory" coming out of that flak jacket was sweet, wasn't it...

[Arrow]

"seeing "Old Glory" coming out of that flak jacket was sweet, wasn't it..."

Was to me.....