Flag of Iraq

The current national flag of Iraq is red -white-black striped horizontally in the white box shows it in dark green Arabic script the inscription Allahu Akbar ( الله أكبر ) ( " God is greater " or "God is greatest ").

History of the Iraqi national flags

Mandate

From the period 1919 to 1924, when Iraq was still the British Mandate of Mesopotamia, there are reports of several similar flags in the Pan-Arab colors. All designs had three horizontal stripes in black, white and green in different orders and a red triangle at the hoist. Sometimes even with the two white seven -pointed stars in the red triangle of the later flag of the Kingdom.

Flag of the Kingdom (1924-1958)

1921, Iraq was transformed into a British protectorate and Faisal I, King of Iraq crowned. 1932, the country became independent as the Kingdom of Iraq. The national flag from 1924 showed three stripes ( black - white-green ) with a red trapezoid on the flag staff; the keystone two white, seven -pointed stars. Was modeled on the flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz.

1:2? Flag of Iraq 1921-1959

Flags of the Republic of

After the revolution of 1958 a new flag was introduced (used by 1959-1963 ), the vertically striped ( black - white-green ) was. In the center of the white band they showed the so-called sun of Mesopotamia, a yellow disc on a red eight-pointed sun. Yellow stood for the Kurds, red for the Assyrian Christians.

The flag of 1963 was the first time the basic pattern is still valid today: three horizontal stripes of red, white and black with three green five-pointed stars in the white stripe.

The stars refer to the year 1963, when the Iraq, Egypt and Syria tried to establish a new " United Arab Republic ". They were maintained even after the failure of negotiations. They symbolize the Arab unity, freedom and socialism in the sense of the Baath Party.

The Takbir Allahu Akbar in 1991, during the Second Gulf War, added as part of the campaign of Saddam Hussein, are increasingly present in public again as a devout Muslim. The manuscript itself is to be according to the legend of Saddam Hussein. Although this has not been proven, this circumstance is so accepted in Iraq, which is why the flag was criticized after the fall of the dictator.

2:3? Flag of the United Arab Republic

2:3? Flag of Iraq 1963-1991

2:3? Flag of Iraq 1991-2004

Flag dispute 2004-2008

In April 2004, the Iraqi Governing Council a draft of a new National Flag: On a white background a light blue crescent and a yellow stripe between two blue lines appear. White stands for peace and a new beginning in Iraq, the crescent symbolizes Islam. The blue stripes were the two most important rivers in the country, the Tigris and Euphrates, and Yellow presented the Kurdish population; The flag was designed by a brother of an Iraqi politician. The architect lived for 40 years in London.

This flag design was criticized by many pages and therefore never introduced. The criticism was referring in part to the unusual design and the unique colors of the flag. The blue and white combination is perceived by many Iraqis as too similar to the flag of the unloved Israel. Secondly, it was discussed whether the Governing Council as an institution of an occupying power ever had the legitimacy to introduce a new flag. Many felt the flag as a symbol of the American Iraq.

The criticism meant that for the time being the old flag was used further, but in a slightly modified form. The flag was introduced on 28 June 2004. It differs from the version of 1991 only by the square Kufic ductus.

In January 2008, a new flag proposal was submitted to Parliament. The text Allahu Akbar should now be kept in yellow instead of green. The yellow color represented the Kurdish minority in the north of the country, particularly protested against the old flag. She saw in her a symbol of the hated regime under Saddam Hussein. To own Kurdish flag was used (see below) in the Kurdish regions instead of the Iraqi flag. Only in the Kurdish province as- Sulaymaniyah used to the old flag of 1961 without the signature of Saddam Hussein. The interim solution in 2004 was rejected by Kurdish leaders, Massoud Barzani as. The importance of the three stars was changed. The three stars now symbolized peace, tolerance and justice. The colors of the flag should not stand alone for the Arab, but to the Islamic culture. However, Barzani was contrary to first reports stated that the Kurds would never use a flag that still contained the three stars of the Ba ʿ th Party.

Another proposal replaced the three stars of the Ba ʿ th Party by an octagonal green star with a yellow disk in the center for the Kurds, like the sun of Mesopotamia, which was used in 1959 in the national flag.

Finally, it was decided to remove all the stars from the flag. The label will continue to be kufisch, but now in dark green. The flag will initially be valid for only one year. Then discuss a new flag. The compromise was adopted with 110 of 165 votes in parliament. 50 deputies voted against.

On 15 July 2008, the Iraqi government called for the submission of new proposals for a national flag. Until the end of September draft could be submitted. The decision on the new national flag of Iraq should precipitate the Parliament at the end of the year, this did not materialize.

2:3? Compromise solution between 2004 and 2008 with a modified font

2:3? More ephemeral flag proposal in January 2008

? Another proposal of January 2008

Flags of minorities

In the north of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region used instead of the previous flag of Iraq, the Kurdistan flag with three horizontal stripes ( red-white- green), and in the center a golden sun with 21 rays.

The National Congress of the Turkomans (also Turkmen ) in Arbil performs a light blue flag with a white crescent, which gives a circle with six little, five-pointed stars.

Scattered in Iraq live as well as in Iran, Syria and Lebanon, the Assyrian Christians. They were already represented in the Iraqi national flag of 1959. The Assyrian flag was designed in 1968 by the Assyrian Universal Alliance. It has its origin in the representation of the Assyrian sun god Shamash, in which the sun's disk stands on an altar. The golden circle at the center represents the sun, which produces flames with their heat and light to maintain the living beings on earth. The star surrounding the sun symbolizes the land, the light blue color symbolizes serenity. The undulating stripes represent the three main rivers of the Assyrian homeland: the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Greater Zab. The dark blue stripes stand for the Euphrates, the Assyrian name "Abundance " is. The red stripes stand for courage, glory and pride, represent the Tigris. The white lines between these two great rivers represent the Greater Zab, the color white symbolizes peace. Some interpret the red, white and blue stripes as the paths that will lead the scattered Assyrians back in the homeland of their ancestors. About the Assyrian flag of the God of the Assyrians " Assyria " from pre-Christian 's time to see.

2:3 Flag of Kurdistan Autonomous Region

2:3 The flag of the Turkomans

Political flags of Iraq

The Ba ʿ th Party, the party of former dictator Saddam Hussein used the flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz in the pan-Arab colors white, red, green and black.

The Iraqi Democratic Union uses a variant of the national flag of 1959. Here the star is five jagged.

The Turkmenenfront of Iraq (Iraq Türkmen Cephesi ) used a light blue flag with two white horizontal stripes, white crescent and a white star. The colors are derived from the flag of the Turkomans.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party leads a yellow flag with a red disc in which the yellow letters " PDK " position. The yellow color is used since 1946 as a party color. The designer of the flag was Hussain Haider.

2:3 Turkmenenfront of Iraq

5:8 Democratic Party of Kurdistan

1:2 Kurdish Freedom Party ( Rizgari )

3:4 Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

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