Kate is reporting on some rather distressing news. American airmen have been ordered to take down their flags at Kirkuk air base. The higher ups fear it might offend some of the locals.

Of course the regular troops can't say anthing about it - orders are orders. They can't say anything about how it feels to be told to take down the symbol of their pride, the symbol of their country, the symbol of why they are in a god-forsaken (or should that be Allah-forsaken?) desert doing their utmost to fix somebody else's problem while powerhungry local warlord wanna be's try to kill them. So I will do something that I don't normally do. I will take it upon myself to express their opinions for them. I do this only because as an 8 year vet I have a fair understanding of the workings of a serviceman's mind and a good idea of the scuttlebutt that's most likely going on in the barracks of Kirkuk.

To the jackass who decided that taking down the American flag was a swell idea:

Eat shit and die you mealy-mouthed appeasement pimp. Get one of your Spaniard friends and your French policy advisor to help you dig your head out of your ass long enough to look around at the men you are supposedly leading. Your mamby-pampy touchy-feely bullshit is not only unnecessary it is putting those men in greater danger. You are in an area of the world where the only thing that is respected is a show of strength and you are busy showing your belly.

You do so totally suck that it is beyond my ability to express just exactly how low my opinion of you is.

Kate has asked for a show of support. Since our soldiers aren't allowed to fly our flag, let's fly flags for them. I've already got a brace of them flying at the homestead and I'm happy to add one here. Feel free to snag this one for your own use. Or if you'd prefer, Kate's got a very nice one. She's got a nice flag too.