By FITSNews || Americans have poured millions of dollars into Haiti’s earthquake relief efforts – and U.S. soldiers and humanitarian workers are playing an integral role in trying to get the ravaged nation back on its feet.
Why then, unlike other nations assisting in Haiti, is the American flag not being flown at our nation’s primary base of operations?
Our buddy Vorster has already weighed in on Haiti “hatin” on the people who are trying to help it, but this is ridiculous. Hell, even Haiti’s former colonial overlords – the French – are flying their flag.
From USA Today:
The many nations helping Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake that struck there have set up their own military compounds and fly their flags at the entrances.
France’s tricolor, Britain’s Union Jack and even Croatia’s coat of arms flap in the breeze.
But the country whose contributions dwarf the rest of the world’s — the United States — has no flag at its main installation near the Port-au-Prince airport.
The lack of the Stars and Stripes does not sit well with some veterans and servicemembers who say the U.S. government should be proud to fly the flag in Haiti, given the amount of money and manpower the U.S. is donating to help the country recover from the Jan. 12 quake.
The Obama administration says flying the flag could give Haiti the wrong idea.
“We are not here as an occupation force, but as an international partner committed to supporting the government of Haiti on the road to recovery,” the U.S. government’s Haiti Joint Information Center said in response to a query about the flag.
Wait … Barack Obama’s administration says that “flying the flag could give Haiti the wrong idea?”
Un-friggin-believable …
“Admittedly it’s a minor thing, but we’re there on a humanitarian mission,” one of our readers noted. “If they don’t like our flag, I say fine. Let’s split.”
It’s kind of like The Wolf in Pulp Fiction, isn’t it?
“I’m here to help. If my help’s not appreciated, lots of luck gentlemen.”
WEB EXTRA
Absence of U.S. Flag in Haiti Sparks Controversy (USA Today)
By countryboy March 19, 2010 at 9:57 am
What did you expect from Hussein? Doesn’t surprise me one damn bit. Angers the hell out of me but doesn’s surprise me.
By CNChapin March 19, 2010 at 10:14 am
I’ve said all along, screw the Haitians. Let them rot. They’re not our problem or responsibility. Why the hell try to help people who are too stupid and worthless to help themselves?
By Ohmaar March 19, 2010 at 10:22 am
American’s don’t need to fly our flag. You KNOW when we show up.
By south mauldin March 19, 2010 at 10:32 am
A complete nonissue. Get on to something sunstantive.
By Mike at the beach March 19, 2010 at 10:45 am
We’ve always taken these beatings, and we probably always will. I just hate that our guy in the White House seems to enjoy kicking the US around too…
By roofus March 19, 2010 at 12:18 pm
The hatred Obama has for law-abiding, tax-paying, God-fearing Americans is becoming more evident by the hour.
By Liberty For Me March 19, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Who cares…..You guys can wave flags when we invade Iran and kill a few thousand people.
By Nutjob March 19, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Everyone relax. Did ya’ll know we did the EXACT SAME THING back in the early 90′s during the first Iraqi invasion? During the firsr Bush administration we took down a US flag at the Iragi airport so as to not portray ourselves as “occupiers.” Exact same reason as this one in Haiti. Oh wait, that was a Republican? That can’t be, everyone knows they are freedom lovers and love America while Obama is a socialist trying to destroy our country. Give me a break.
By Elwood March 19, 2010 at 4:20 pm
How on earth will anyone know we are there helping? This is just terrible. The Croatians might get all the credit, and then what would happen?
By sid March 19, 2010 at 4:54 pm
There’s a rather obvious difference between Iraq in the 90s and Haiti today, and I’m not talking about who was in office. Even a “Nutjob” should be able to figure that one out.
By harry March 19, 2010 at 6:11 pm
uhhhh—Nutjub–did we–uhh… like– invade Haiti and kill –like- uhhh thousands of Haitians—uhhh– like we did in like uhh Iraq?
I mean we are giving–uhhh-like $500 million to—uhhhh–like rebuild Haiti after a devastating earthquake…
The two operations…like…couldn’t be more dissimilar…unless you are a cokehead…
But then again…like…uhhh, we got a former cokehead like…uuhhh–ruining/running America now…
By Soft Sigh From Hell March 19, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Haitians are probably a bit sensitive to our flag. How many times have we invaded them militarily in the past century? You might not know, but they do.
Anyway, where was the conservative griping along these lines when GHW Bush made US soldiers rip the American flag patch off their uniforms at Saudi insistence when during the Gulf War said soldiers were protecting those same Saudi asses? Not a peep. He was “R.”
By R March 19, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Obama is the biggest pile of crap to ever “occupy” the White House. This guy is repulsive, inept, incompetent, and has lied thru his teeth since day one. Let’s not forget his wife was only proud to be an America once her husband was nominated as the democratic candidate. Obama is a Marxist and he has made it abundantly clear he and his minions have nothing but contempt for this county, its history, the Constitution, and the will of the people. I thought we couldn’t get any worse than “W” but lo and behold Americans fell for this load of crap hook, line, and sinker.
By Mike at the beach March 19, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Some of you folks need an apples-and-oranges lesson. What in the hell does an true occupying army in a foreign land have to do with a humanitarian relief mission. Surely you get that, right?
Besides, even during the offensive military operations you “red herringed” in here we gave the Republican administrations hell for all the deference to Muslim culture we were forced to show. The MSM just didn’t cover it very well because it violated their overdeveloped sense of political correctness.
Of course, it’s easier to dismiss an argument of principle by resorting to ad hominem BS, isn’t it?
By sid March 19, 2010 at 11:48 pm
So the Haitians are OK with the French, SSFH? Or do you feel they are just not educated enough to understand their own history?
By Soft Sigh From Hell March 20, 2010 at 8:19 am
You conservatives can thank your buddy Bush for Obama getting elected. Bush was so bad that America elected a black, liberal, northern, urban, too young Democrat rather than risk another Republican. Congratulations. Your chickens came home to roost.
And I’ll defer to the Haitians themselves in determining who the traditional bullies are there. I’ll take their assessment well over that coming from the bullies.
By Mike at the beach March 20, 2010 at 11:53 am
SSFH,
You’re probably right. The Haitians have been doing a bangup job of self governance for the past 200 years or so, which is one of the reasons they are the poorest country in the Americas today. We should stop bullying them now and split.
As for the Republicans being responsible for electing BHO, I couldn’t agree more. We never would have elected Reagan without suffereing through Carter first, so all we can hope for is that it will snap conservatives out of their spend-crazy insanity and bring things back around in the long run.
By sid March 20, 2010 at 4:26 pm
As they say, SSFH, MoveOn. Just wait to see what chickens come home to roost after Barry is done screwing things up. Lefties get their first taste this November, and they are really going to be sad. At least it’s nice to know you agree that Barry is not up to the job. I did not realize you were a racist, though, so that’s good to know.
Regarding Haiti, I didn’t realize they had requested we not fly our flag. I thought it was just Barry being Barry. You’d think, though, if they were concerned with who has been bullying Haitians the most over the last few decades, they’d insist that their own flags not fly anywhere over the recovery efforts.
By CNChapin March 22, 2010 at 9:43 am
sid, I agree with you, but SSFH pointing out that Barry Soetoro is black does not make him racist. I get tired of people crying racism all the time.
SSFH, you’re right in that Bush got Barry elected. Barry will be the one to have the responsibility of starting the next civil war, so at least he has that going for him.
By sid March 27, 2010 at 12:29 am
I was actually being sarcastic, CNC. While I do believe SSFH is racist, I’m certain he/she is convinced otherwise. That describes most liberals. I just thought it funny that an apparent leftist would imply Bush was so bad that he/she felt America made a mistake electing Barry, and the main reason it was a mistake is because Barry is (half) black.