BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s U.S.-picked leaders approved a new flag for the country, dumping Saddam Hussein’s red-and-black standard. The new design is white with two blue stripes, and although it has a crescent representing Islam, the flag no longer bears the words "Allahu akbar" — "God is great."
The new design not only abandons the symbols of Hussein’s regime, it also avoids the colors used in other Arab flags: green and black for Islam and red for Arab nationalism.
The flag, designed by an Iraqi artist and approved by the Governing Council, has two parallel blue stripes along the bottom with a yellow stripe in between.
The blue stripes represent the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and — because the river basin is Iraq’s Arab heartland — therefore symbolize the country’s Sunni and Shiite Arabs. The yellow stripe represents Iraq’s ethnic Kurd minority, taking its color from the yellow star on the flag of Kurdistan.
Above the stripes, in a white field, is a blue crescent of Islam.
The only country in the Middle East with blue stripes in its flag is Israel, which has a Star of David on a field of white between horizontal blue bands.
The overhaul of a national symbol raised some complaints, particularly since it came from U.S.-appointed leaders. One council member said the Iraqi leadership should wait for an elected government before altering the Hussein regime standard.
Copyright ©2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
