Ain't No Drag...Iraq's Got a Brand New Flag

Riverbend has just about the best thing to say:

I also heard today that the Puppets are changing the flag. It looks nothing like the old one and at first I was angry and upset, but then I realized that it wouldn't make a difference. The Puppets are illegitimate, hence their constitution is null and void and their flag is theirs alone. It is as representative of Iraq as they are- it might as well have "Made in America" stitched along the inside seam. It can be their flag and every time we see it, we'll see Chalabi et al. against its pale white background.

The Independent reports that Iraq might need a flag burning amendment added to the new consititution. This action has also given the resistance a de facto flag of their own: the old one.

This actually isn't the new flag, but it might as well be. Actually, here's the real new standard.

Of course, residents of Fallujah probably don't care a whole lot about which flag is flying--they're more worried about flying bullets. This BBC articlereports that, among other things, Marine snipers are targeting ambulances. No doubt the wrong wingers will claim that ambulances transport resistance fighters--and some ambulances might well do so. The problem, though, is that some DON'T carry resistance fighters, but instead, people needing urgent medical care--like, for instance, civilians wounded in the fighting.

While Fallujah is shredded (memo to Dick 'n Dubya: this doesn't look good vis-a-vis the whole hearts and minds thing), the US is poised to piss off the Shi'a majority big-time by entering Najaf. Um, is it just me, or does almost any carbon based lifeform realize that stomping on someone's sacred ground and threatening to blow up their sacred sites isn't the best way to endear yourself to said someone. Shit, the Taliban pissed off the world by blowing up the Buddhist statues which weren't even contemporary objects of worship.

But, they managed to design a new Iraqi flag...how nice. What's next? An official state bird? Or tree? How about an official unexploded ordnance or an official pile of rubble to go with the new flag? Because that's what Iraq will be when this is over--a pile of rubble.