Why is Iraq not flying its new flag?

[bhsup]

The flag is to be officially unveiled later this week.

Was this new flag actually ever, officially, unveiled as the new flag of Iraq? All the (old) article says is that it was to be within the week. I've searched and searched and not come up with any source stating that it was officially adopted as the new flag. If that's the case, then the answer to why Iraq isn't flying its new flag is simple. It has no new flag.

 

[Evil Tyrant]

well, thier is no stripe for the sheites either- dose this mean they are left out as well? No; both sects of islam are given proper due by the presence of the cresecnt moon, which has now become a symbol of Islam (but is properlly an Ottoman symbol that was adopted from the Byzantines, who in theory, adopted it from the Romans who thought it was neat looking)

What about the Arabs? I agree that the Crescent moon should be enough of a symbol for Islam. But the flag still strikes me as a more suitable flag for Kurdistan rather than Iraq as a whole, because only the Kurds are represented on the flag, while the Arabs are left out.

 

[Alvaro da Luna]

The Kurds largely are Shiites. The Sunnis are largely Arab, but some Arabs are Shiites. I agree that the Crescent moon should be enough of a symbol for Islam. But the flag still strikes me as a more suitable flag for Kurdistan rather than Iraq as a whole, because only the Shiite Kurds are represented on the flag, while the Sunni(and Shiite) Arabs are left out.

The Kurds are typically Sunni.

 

[Evil Tyrant]

The Kurds are typically Sunni.

I have done some checking, and it turns out you are correct. For some reason, I have always thought that the Kurds were Shia. Thanks for informing me of my error.

 

[Xen]

to symbolise the rivers of blood which will flow soon there.

well thats just a fantastic idea. optimism 100%! nothing says "yes, we can handle running our our own country now, so the yanks can get out" like doing your best to ensure a full scale civil war will break out

 

[Xen]

What about the Arabs? I agree that the Crescent moon should be enough of a symbol for Islam. But the flag still strikes me as a more suitable flag for Kurdistan rather than Iraq as a whole, because only the Kurds are represented on the flag, while the Arabs are left out.

as I said before, the Arabs dont really think of themselves as an ethnic group- its probably just taken for granted that they, who form the vast majority of the population are thier, and dont need to be represented. Thsi bears itself out by the main conflict in Iraq not being betwen ethnic groups liek the Arabs and Kurds so much as it is between arab religious sects- the Kurds need to be represented to tie them into the future of the country, as after beign repressed for so long, the Minorities in Iraq, and specifically the Kurds need a symbol that really bonds them to the nation.

 

[Alpine Trooper]

Iraqs new flag:

 

[Louis XXIV]

well, thier is no stripe for the sheites either- dose this mean they are left out as well? No; both sects of islam are given proper due by the presence of the cresecnt moon, which has now become a symbol of Islam (but is properlly an Ottoman symbol that was adopted from the Byzantines, who in theory, adopted it from the Romans who thought it was neat looking)

Rome Total War shows it as Carthaginian, is there any truth to that?

 

[MRM]

I wouldn't use a flag an occupying nation designed for me anyway.

And I would not too - so I guess this is the main reason.

 

[Cuivienen]

I have done some checking, and it turns out you are correct. For some reason, I have always thought that the Kurds were Shia. Thanks for informing me of my error.

They are, however, traditionally allied with the Iraqi Shi'ites since both hate the (other) Iraqi Sunnis (and the feeling is mutual).

 

[North King]

Seem western idealism had been dumped for national necessity. somthing that while I dont particurlay enjoy, can see the need, and the justifacation for. Of course, since obviouslly knwo so much better then I, or the Iraqi political specialists, or even the iraqi people themselves, I'm sure they would be willing to defer to your personal new design for an Iraqi flag, as it would just so much work for every one.

Three crescent moons placed in a triple pattern on a white background in black, with red and green stripes ala tricolour. What's not to like?

Of course, that was irony. I fully belive you dont grasp how much of an actual tool, and icon a flag truelly is- it IS the symbol of a nation, and the Iraqi nation IS devided into three parts, weather you like it, or feel all those parts need to be represented or not. The other tribe sof Iraq for the mos tpart either do not identify themselves by ethnicty, such as the Shiites and Sunnis, who are better represented by a unified symbol, in hopes that inter sect violence will decline on the public recognition that they are of the same faith, just different sects of it. by contrast we see the kurds do not identify themselves by thier faith, but rather by thier distinct ethnicty prompting that a symbol for a group that could so easilly split off the rest of Iraq thatthey are a part of the nation as well.

The icon of a flag should be the icon of a nation--not the groups within. This is my opinion, and I won't budge on it. It's purely symbolic anyway, better to be symbolic of unity than of disunity.

Political idealism has to be dumped for political reality, why a fairlly well educated person such as your self can see the very bold and distinct lien between the two in this case is beyond me.

When I dump my ideals to appease a minority that wants to feel included and feels they must have a part of the flag all to themselves is when I kill myself. Flags shouldn't be about the division in the state, but about the unity of the state. Otherwise it shouldn't be a state.




Just a little bit of visual irony:

 

[Evil Tyrant]

as I said before, the Arabs dont really think of themselves as an ethnic group- its probably just taken for granted that they, who form the vast majority of the population are thier, and dont need to be represented. Thsi bears itself out by the main conflict in Iraq not being betwen ethnic groups liek the Arabs and Kurds so much as it is between arab religious sects- the Kurds need to be represented to tie them into the future of the country, as after beign repressed for so long, the Minorities in Iraq, and specifically the Kurds need a symbol that really bonds them to the nation.

If the Arabs do not see themselves as an ethnic group, why is the old flag of pan-Arabic design? You are right that the confict between the Arabs of Iraq is religiously based. But to exclude one ethnic group from being represented on the nation's flag while allowing another to be represented, is in my opinion foolish. This new flag has only a symbol for the Kurds, and that screams, Kurdistan to me, not Iraq. It seems to me that the thinking behind this new flag is, "we have taken Iraq out of Arabic control and given it to the Kurds" A flag with symbols for both qroups would say, this flag represents all of the Iraqis, not just the Kurds of Iraq. It is merely my opinion.

 

[Stylesjl]

Iraqs new flag:

Indeed

 

[Louis XXIV]

Just a couple of random ideas for flags.

The first is the new suggested idea with different colors. I made the crescent green, which seems like a more traditional color for it. The blue stripes still represent the Tigris and the Euphrates since they seem like significant parts of Iraq. The stripe in the middle is red (for unity I suppose, I believe red symbolized Pan-Arabism, which would at least symbolize Sunnis and Shi'as as united).

The second flag is the current Iraqi flag with blue stripes for the Tigris and the Euphrates. No real other change.

Third flag is completely new (OK, its not, I took the flag from Jordan ). Since an early Iraqi flag was similar to Jordan's flag, I thought it might be worth returning to. It replaces the star with the crescent moon, includes the blue and gold of the suggested flag with the black and green of islam. Probably significant because it doesn't look like either of the other flags. I'm not sure what the point would be (although I doubt you could say it looks either Baathist or Israeli).