President George W BushThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington DC, 20500USA

By e mail:president@whitehouse.gov

21st March 2003

Dear Mr President,

I have asked the British Defence Secretary to pass on a request to American forces not to use the Stars and Stripes on operations in Iraq.

Your armed forces and those of the UK and other nations are now engaged in an operation to liberate the people of Iraq, this has my full support and I congratulate you on the leadership you have shown. There are many who wish to mis interpret the motives of coalition policy, it will be easier for them to do so if the flags of our countries are planted on Iraqi territory when that territory is liberated.

I have requested the British Government, and I make the request now to you as Commander in Chief, not to allow the use of national flags as symbols of conquest.

Knowing the enormous symbolic importance the US attaches to Old Glory this would be a profound statement of what the coalition is about, and show a regard for the Iraqis and a recognition of the humanitarian side of coalition policy towards Iraq.

I hope you can give immediate instructions to this effect. It would be wholly unfortunate if the raising of the Stars and Stripes in Baghdad could be mis interpreted by opponents of coalition policy.

Yours faithfully

Crispin Blunt