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Iraqi Flags' Page
Flag of the Iraqi Kingdom ( 1921-1958 )
This Flag was chosen to be the first flag of the modern Iraqi State in 1921. The colours were generally the same as those of the flag of the Hashimite kingdom of Hijaz which was ruled by the same royal family. Generally these colours red, white, black and green are the traditional colours used by the pan-Arab movement. Most of the flags of the Arab countries contain some or all these colours. The two heptagonal stars refered to the fourteen provinces of the Iraqi Kingdom. This flag was abandoned after the revolution of the 14th of July 1958.
Flag of the first republic ( 1958-1963 )
This flag was adopted after the revolution of the 14th of July 1958. Although the colours were generally the same (except the introduction of Yellow) , but the flag reflected the change that the revolution had brought about. The horizontal strips were replaced by vertical ones to indicate the republican style as in the flag of the French revolution. The red sun in the middle referred to the Assyrian symbol of the national god Ashur. The matter that reflects the Iraqi personality of the republic without any pan-Arab dominance. The Yellow circle in the centre of the sun reffered to the Kurdish national colour which was used by the legendary hero Salah el-Deen. Simply the flag represented ideology of the first republic which was based on pure Iraqi grounds. It was abandoned directly after the coup of the 8th of February 1963.
Flag of the republic of Iraq ( 1963-1991 )
After the coup of the 8th of July 1968 planned by the Ba'th party, This Flag was introduced. It shows a return to the pa-Arab traditional colours and it reflects the ideological resemblance with Egyptian style of pan-Arab nationalism. The three stars might had some symbolism of being part a larger entity ( the flag of the U.A.R had two stars and it still used by Syria ) in reference to the Arab nation. This flag survived the coup of the 17th of July 1968, and remained in use until Saddam altered it's shape in the eve of the second gulf war in 1991.
Flag of the republic of Iraq ( 1991- )
While preparing to enter his ( mother of all battles ) or the catastrophic war of Kuwait in 1991, Saddam introduced the words ( Allah Akbar ) meaning ( God is Greater ) to the Iraqi flag. The aim was to assist his propaganda campaign attiring his crimes as a legitimate self defence of a Muslim leader against the evil ones!!! Though never made a great success with this attempt, he kept the words on the flag.
