Flagging Enthusiasm

I have this really bad habit of looking for consistency and logic where there is none. But here I go again. I have a suggestion for a new flag for Iraq.

The old flag (and its predecessors) were based on a socialist, pro-Arab agenda. It's colors and three stars represent the proposed alliance between Egypt and Syria (who have similar flags) that never panned out. But it still represented the socialistic dictatorship of Saddam's Baath party and had the words "God is Great" added during the 1991 Gulf War.


But Iraq is not entirely Arab nor is it a socialist dictatorship under Saddam anymore. So in 2004 the new government suggested this eyesore as the new flag.


It went over like a lead balloon, primarily because it's reminiscent of the Israeli flag, the only other flag in the region with a white field and light blue markings. This flag was unconventional, made no sense, and was offensive and ugly. So the government soon abandoned it and went back to Saddam's flag with the words written in a different font.

I would suggest the following flag for Iraq: It's simple, it's distinct, and it's specific to Iraq's traits as a nation. The three stripes represent the three people groups and regions of Iraq. The color green is a traditional color representing Islam. The three stripes also represent the blue Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the green fertile crescent, which has sustained human civilization for over 5000 years.


I think it would make a lot of sense and a sharp looking national soccer team jersey as well. But my money is on the Iraqi people not having a good flag for years to come.