Flag Displaying in Iraq

[Kowboydave]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently deployed to a Forward Operating Base in Northern Iraq. On our Post there is a Compound which has a flag pole prominently displayed on the roof of the building. My problem with this flag pole is that they have the US Flag and the Iraqi Flag on the same pole and they have the Iraqi flag above our flag.

I know this isn't US soil... however it was my understanding that if they want to fly both flags they need to do so on separate poles and they need to fly them at equal heights.

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated!

[NAVA1974]

I know this isn't US soil... however it was my understanding that if they want to fly both flags they need to do so on separate poles and they need to fly them at equal heights.

Dave,

The short answer is "You are correct."

There are two things to consider 1) The United States Flag Code, and 2) international protocol. BOTH state that two or more national flags shall fly at the same height. The only way that the US and Iraqi flag should fly together is from separate poles.

When one nation's flag flies above another it is a signal that the country represented by the lower flag has been defeated in battle. This is not the impression we should be giving.

Nick A
Columbia Maryland

[Kowboydave]

Thanks for the information Nick!

[Bergschlawiner]

I was at Abu Ghraib Prison in 2004-2005 and I was appalled that even though Abu Ghraib was an FOB with a US Commander that there was absolutely no US Flag flying over the prison anyplace. They did fly a very large Red Cross flag however. I thought this was pretty bad, they could have at least flown the US and Iraqi flags.

[Robin Hickman]

.
Considering the "time" and "location", and the "history" of the prison, maybe it was just as well that the only flag flown there was the "Red Cross" flag.

"Discretion being the better part of valor", and all that...


Who knows? Maybe it was a direct order from the Secretary of Defense?




Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
.

[Bergschlawiner]

When I was there as an interrogator along with the hundreds of Army hospital personnel and others there was nothing to be ashamed of there and all that stuff from early 2004 was blown out of proportion. Maybe I see it different having been an infantry division interrogator in Vietnam and a US prison guard for 7 years. Abu Ghraib was a US garrison with 1,500 or more Americans there and should have flown the US flag at least in front of the post commanders building.