Think Progress

As Bush Goes To Vietnam, White House Website Displays The Wrong Flag»

Vietnam flags

Today, President Bush visits Vietnam for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, “looking to burnish his foreign-policy credentials.” He’s off to a miserable start.

Yesterday, the White House website featured a graphic with the flags of the three countries he’s visiting on his trip — Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. One problem: instead of displaying the Vietnamese flag, the White House graphic featured the old flag of South Vietnam. That flag hasn’t been the official flag of Vietnam since South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam in 1975.

The display of the old flag is highly incendiary to the current Vietnamese government. NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.”




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228 Responses to “As Bush Goes To Vietnam, White House Website Displays The Wrong Flag”

  1. Zooey Says:

    You know, at some point GWB must be thinking there’s a mole in the White House.

    Heh.

    SNAFU


  2. Craig Says:

    Why is this even a surprise to anyone? Bush obviously could give a rats ass about anything that isn’t about ‘Merika’. Furthermore, Bush coulnd’t find Vietnam in the 1960s when he should have been there. How can we expect the dumb bastard to know which flag is correct for today?


  3. VietVet Says:

    Who the hell is running this country? They don’t know crap, what a bunch of draft dodging fools.


  4. DRxJ Says:

    geez, does this administration ever do any research about cultures and society before visiting (invading)?
    guess not. One word: IRAQ


  5. james risser Says:

    it is bill clinton’s fault…


  6. Five of Diamonds Says:

    Maybe if the coward had served he’d get the flag right.


  7. ckerst Says:

    The Bush administration doesn’t care enough to even try and get things right. They feel anything they do is right just because they did it.


  8. Sharon Cox Says:

    Happy hump day America, with a lot of work and some luck we may be able to get this c- dumb ass out of the white house along with all his rich rediculious administration….Poor judgment, lack of class and protacal along with murderious tendacies have distroyed all their brain cells….This entire bunch are brain dead to everything but building their own little empires…Last week’s election has them reeling, may the change of wind be great enough to clean sweep all the dead leaves in washington out to sea…..Blessings all


  9. MrTimPA Says:

    Oops…:) I’m sorry, but this would be extremely funny, if it weren’t a serious embarrasment. I’ve seen plenty of typos on websites and in newspapers, etc - but it’s REALLY bad to screw up a graphic like that!


  10. aguafiero Says:

    The white house’s webmeister got it confused with the flag of the lone star state..


  11. paul Says:

    Someone erroneously posted the old flag on the web site. Yeah, Bush is a real idiot for that. If you read the link, you realize the goals this Administration and the U.S. in general has for the world. Here’s a sample:

    Daring democracy movement
    Vietnam’s new thousands-strong pro-democracy movement, known locally as Bloc 8406, has daringly intensified its activities to coincide with US pressure on the government to improve its rights record. In August, the group publicly declared its four-phase proposal for Vietnam’s democratization, including demands for the restoration of civil liberties, the establishment of political parties, the drafting of a new constitution and, finally, democratic elections for a new representative National Assembly.

    Reasonable progs will agree, the intentions of the Bush Administration and the U.S. are honorable and worth pursuing.


  12. james risser Says:

    the most idiotic, simplistic, ridiculous, ill-informed, spoken-in-deep-denial-of-reality statement of the day:

    the intentions of the Bush Administration and the U.S. are honorable and worth pursuing.


  13. Zooey Says:

    paul,

    This is the part of Judd’s post that is pertinent:

    The display of the old flag is highly incendiary to the current Vietnamese government. NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.”

    Get it?


  14. Republicans Are The Fear And Smear Party Says:

    All he had to do was use the Google on the internets.


  15. Juan C Says:

    the intentions of the Bush Administration and the U.S. are honorable and worth pursuing.
    Comment by paul

    Sorry, paul. There are no good intentions for US, just interests (It could be applied to all governments, I agree, if given the chance). John Foster Dulles said it.


  16. Tobey Tall Says:

    Speaking of Quagmire another 6 troops wasted yesterday


  17. aguafiero Says:

    C’mon Dumbya, all ya gotta do now is the Nixon thing… you know, both arms in the air doing that “V” for victory thing…..
    (God knows you don’t know anything about peace….)


  18. Roger_Roger Says:

    Yes,

    I am sure Bush is the one who updates the governments websites and makes sure everything including country flags are correct. Hrmm, on the other hand, he probably doesn’t even go to the site and has much more important things to do. Not that you losers won’t try to blame something this stupid on him anyways.



  19. AshenShard Says:

    #10

    The problem is we should not be putting any pressure on any country to change to what we want it to be. That is why we lost the country in Vietnam. By putting pressure on Vietnam and supporting this democracy movement there all we do is undercut it. Look at the history of Vietnam. Any time an outside force attempts to force its influence upon the Vietnamese people, they unite against the invader. They may have been occupied many times, but they’ve also been able to free themselves many times and will not take lightly to any outside pressure, especially from the U.S. considering recent history.
    Also, the intentions of this administration do not matter if backed up by stupid policy. The intentions of the French in Vietnam were to ‘civilize’ the country … now ours are to ‘democratize’ it. Sounds like history repeating itself to me, since idiots running this country either don’t understand or ignore the lessons of history.


  20. Zooey Says:

    Not that you losers won’t try to blame something this stupid on him anyways.
    Comment by Roger_Roger

    Being the current Caption of the Good Ship USA, yes, Capt GWB is responsible for everything.

    Can you say CLINTON!!!?


  21. Sharon Cox Says:

    Paul, the intensions of the U.S. voters is honorable….The intensions of bush and his administration are self serving for profit and oil only…Bush and company don’t give a rat’s ass about any of us or our country only how much they can loot and control…Put some more kool aid in you’re polluted water and just go away, you’re not wanted or needed here.


  22. roger_inkart Says:

    Well, at least he hasn’t vomited on anyone. Yet.


  23. aguafiero Says:

    “Good evening, FLOTUS, welcome to this evenings celebration of our peoples triumph over your misguided military adventure….
    Your certainly looking exceptionally plasticine tonight, and what IS that scent?
    Eau de Agent Orange?”


  24. DRxJ Says:

    did roger_roger just post something?


  25. mighty aphrodite Says:

    Surprisingly, I have to agree with Progs on this one. The President could have simply called upon the wide array of Marxist sympathizers who litter the Beltway and Internet and come up with the “correct” flag du jour for post war Viet Nam. When one considers Progs level of glee of when Marxists and other ultra-leftists gain power in the Third World, it is inconceivable a left-leaning “intellectual” on a college campus or would not know the “politically correct” flag.


  26. Les Izmore Says:

    It’s kinda like when Bush had the band play Taiwan’s national anthem when Hu Jin Tao the PRC leader came to town. What a pathetic whiny ass bunch of juvenile losers these guys are. College educated idiots.


  27. Zooey Says:

    Did Mighty Hag just post something?


  28. Grand Moff Texan Says:

    It’s OK. Bush is going to tell the Vietnamese that they can have more trade with the US even if they go on persecuting religious people.

    Bush flip-flopped on religious freedom, but hey: there’s money to be made!
    .


  29. DRxJ Says:

    did mighty just post something?


  30. Marie Says:

    Perhaps someone will remember — didn’t the Bush White House do something like this in the past?


  31. Marie Says:

    #4, DrxJ
    I think they must have outsourced the department of cultural information.


  32. Dumb_Fox Says:

    These are the same clowns that called the China, “The Republic of China” - the official name of Taiwan…

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2006/ 04/ 20/ AR2006042001946.html

    Still, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. They just don’t give a crap about these sorts of details. Maybe one day karma’s wheel will turn and someone will play some Dixie Chicks as Chimp enters a room.


  33. chris Says:

    ummm, it’s a bit of an interesting bit of debate actually. from what i can tell the yellow flag is considered to be the one true flag by the vietnamese community overseas, while the red one is the official govt one.

    so, it’s kinda like the USA publicly acknowledging taiwan’s independence.

    more info here for those interested:
    http://www.vpac-usa.org/ flag/ The%20National%20Flag%20of%20VN.pdf


  34. Kingcranky Says:

    I am sure Bush is the one who updates the governments websites and makes sure everything including country flags are correct. Hrmm, on the other hand, he probably doesn’t even go to the site and has much more important things to do. Not that you losers won’t try to blame something this stupid on him anyways.

    Comment by Roger_Roger —

    First off, can’t apply the “losers” label to us libs anymore, not after that thrashing the GOP went through last week

    2nd, it just shows the incompetence of this President is apparently contagious, as there’s no way to explain the Vietnamese flag fiasco in a way that’s positive for the Administration

    Sheesh, this President runs the country the same way he ran his failed businesses


  35. Dennis Cassiday Says:

    Does anyone remember the good ol’ days when people weren’t losing their jobs and American soldiers were not being killed in Iraq? Can anyone say BILL CLINTON?? I don’t mean to rub anyone’s face in the stink pile here but the economy was great. Jobs were plentiful. Race relations were much better. The rest of the world did not hate us because we were over-running small countries that don’t pose any threat to us. Wait a minute though. We did spend a lot of money to prove that Bill Clinton lied about infidelity. Atleast we got him on that! That is a lot worse than WMD (weapons of mass deception), ties to Osama Bin Ladan (of course that was a lie), not needing more troops in Iraq (that is why almost 3000 American soldiers have died), etc. Please, keep bringing up Bill Clinton. It takes me back to a time when things were good in this country. But he did lie about getting oral sex. I guess that is as good a reason as any to impeach a president.


  36. mighty aphrodite Says:

    #18 - “aljazeera tv is live and broadcasting!” - Comment by james risser

    *********Hooooray!!! I knew if ANYONE would be thrilled about getting live broadcasts from alJazeeeera, it would be James. And to have the time for Mecca noted on the homepage - - what a benefit! Of course, if they noted the time for Hanoi on their site, this internet tidbit might be relevant…..


  37. bobcat_grad Says:

    So Paul’s and Roger’s take on this foreign relations snafu:

    “Bah, Vietnam, get over it.”

    Careless mistakes by the administration like this merely illustrate how they really feal about respecting other governments.

    Actions speak louder than words. You can say all you want that you respect Vietnam’s regime and government, but if you can’t get a simple flag right…. well….


  38. Kevin Good Says:

    This is a good example of what this administration has learned from history.


  39. bobcat_grad Says:

    My goodness. What world does MA live in?

    Seriously, the world must be a scary place for him.


  40. Tom Says:

    I am just glad that — after more than 35 years — GDumbya has finally overcome his Vietnamophobia. After all, he was so scared about going to Vietnam back then that he had to get his father’s help to jump over thousands on the waiting list for the TANG.


  41. Juan C Says:

    Hrmm, on the other hand, he probably doesn’t even go to the site and has much more important things to do.
    Comment by Roger_Roger

    Yeah, like choking with pretzels or sniffing cocaine.

    Not that you losers won’t try to blame something this stupid on him anyways.
    Losers? Lets see, did the vast majority on this site vote for an illiterate guy who doesnt know what sovereignity is? And he is the president? Yeah, Rog.


  42. nffcnnr Says:

    Such carelessness is what happens when the White house is full of hacks, frauds and cronies. Rember when China dignitaries came to visit? Incompetent fools are ruining this great nation’s credibility. From unprovoked wars on sovereign nations to the torture of “enemy combatants” to diplomatic faux paus, we are less respected in the world today than we have ever been. heckuva job, Bushie!


  43. Marie Says:

    The trade bill was defeated last night - poor timing with dumbya’s trip to the far east today.
    His official bio will now read that he was in Viet Nam - it won’t mention that it was 35 years too late.


  44. ForTruth Says:

    Sure it’s not the Presidents job to check the website, but the people he appointed are supposed to know better. Too bad he only appoints unqualified, incompetent people.


  45. theswan Says:

    Don’t fret hanoi hilton mccain would love to lead the way.


  46. Gotta Love The Bush — eightandfive Archive Says:

    […] Then the White House displays the old flag of the Republic of Vietnam on its Web site in announcing the visit. Mind you, this flag hasn’t been used since 1975, when South Vietnam surrendered to the North. Whoopsie, time to get a new intern. […]


  47. AZ_Squeegee Says:

    Let’s see.

    First political screw-up: We’re all human.
    Second political screw up: Well, these things happen.
    Third political screwup: Um….errr….guys?

    At what number do we apply the label, ” This administration is composed of incompetent tits, from top to bottom.” Because, really, we have to be close now, if not well past it.


  48. Jay Randal Says:

    Well I guess Bush wants to piss-off the Vietnam government and re-ignite the Vietnam war > Dubya has created a lot of enemies, so Vietnamese get added to the list now!


  49. Pity The Fool Says:

    Impeach. Now.


  50. DemandTruth Says:

    Quick, somebody get a medal ready!

    Heckuvajob, webmaster!


  51. Lola Says:

    I just feel bad for the poor bastard intern that screwed this up.


  52. bobcat_grad Says:

    I just feel bad for the poor bastard intern that screwed this up.

    Comment by Lola — November 15, 2006 @ 12:24 pm

    I don’t. If it’s status quo with Bush, the intern is due for an Undersecretary position.


  53. RUCerious Says:

    This is hilarious!
    OK, guys, reach around behind your back, now lower a little bit, now grab!
    Betch didn’t come up with ass, didja?


  54. DemandTruth Says:

    I was not into politics on the internet yet when the pretzel incident happened. Was there some other story about what really happened that I missed? People seem to bring it up a lot but I don’t know why…

    Somebody tell me what really happened - I was blind and ignorant then (almost like a troll…)


  55. Arman Chalabi Says:

    Who cares!!

    We’re just going to force them to change their flag after we conquer them anyway…like we did to Iraq…2000 years of civilization down the drain.

    Bloody Romans!


  56. badkitty Says:

    Even if Condi at the State Dept. had been consulted, the wrong flag probably would have shown up on the White House website. I’m betting one of the usual incompetent political appointees for which this administration is so famous is responsible for this faux pas…


  57. j7915 Says:

    To all and link to #34, Dubya IS running the company like a business. We the voters, AKA boar of directors didn’t do due diligence when he presented his resume.

    Dubya is a typical american executive, in my sad experience being employed by a large American company, he hires people who are dumber then he is. Obviously the protocol officer of the White House used to be director of the Texas Jackrabbit society or something like that.

    Fema had the director of the Arabian Horse Owners Group…


  58. green917 Says:

    #54 - DT,

    He was allegedly watching a football game on a sofa in the residence while munching on pretzels. Allegedly, he didn’t properly chew one of the “savory snacks” and it caused him to faint and fall to the floor bruising his face and lip. I can’t help but wonder, however, if this incident involved something that the official reports left out, like a fifth of sour mash.


  59. j7915 Says:

    Isn’t this sort of like flying the wrong German flag???

    Schwartz-Rot-Gold vs Schwartz-Weiss-Rot vs the one with the funny thingy used by the 45th Inf Div., until 1938 ????


  60. Jenny'O Says:

    to paul, no progs do not see that as a resonable course to follow.
    while our own goverment condones torture, kidnappings, secret prisons and wars of aggression it is glaringly inappropriate for our goverment to even suggest much less insist that other countries tow a line we dictate to them.
    they are not happy just being our big brother they want big brother to go beat up the kid next door too.
    enough of the hubris.


  61. Hayek Says:

    You guys are bunch of LEFT WING NUTS! There’s reason why they call it the Loonie Left.


  62. Andy Says:

    >It’s kinda like when Bush had the band play Taiwan’s national anthem
    >when Hu Jin Tao the PRC leader came to town. What a pathetic whiny ass
    >bunch of juvenile losers these guys are. College educated idiots.

    Funnelling billions of taxpayer dollars into the hands of friends and croonies would seem to indicate some intelligence.

    Andy


  63. Jason Baddo Says:

    Freudian slip….maybe America wants to go back to Vietnam and attempt a reversal of losses!!


  64. gopindrag Says:

    Bush is a coward, a sissy, an incompetent and that says everything about the people who work for him.


  65. Roy Owens Says:

    This is not surprising. It seems that no faction of the Republican Party — neocon, segregationist, conservative, or whatever — has any concept of what a fact checker does for a living. They don’t seem to understand there could be a need for any fact checking, so they certainly wouldn’t have a fact checker on the payroll, or even provide a desk for a volunteer. This is a very disturbing habit that seems to have become a character trait in the last 40 years.


  66. Rickter Says:

    Shoulda used “the google”


  67. queenbee Says:

    Regarding #61 from Hayek -

    Wow, the political discourse is SO highly elevated with you, eh?


  68. Donna Says:

    There are so many examples of the crew that GWB surrounds himself with…this is just another in a long list of stupidity.
    Here is another;
    John DiIulio who served as the first head of Bush’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, in describing the White House to Ron Suskind ,(an unflattering assessment that went on for seven pages) wrote that senior Bush aides didn’t know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid.


  69. terry Says:

    Reminds me of “The Gang that coudn’t shoot straight”


  70. Matthew Says:

    I think the question America really needs to be asking now, is who in the Democrat leadership knew the White House had the wrong flag in their archives, and how long have they known it. Obviously this is another liberal attempt to smear and besmirch our dear leader even in these most perilous of times. In other words, it’s all Clintons fault!


  71. Arjun M Says:

    You really think this was a mistake?


  72. Stevious Says:

    I think if you ask a Vietnamese-American which is the flag of Vietnam, they’ll tell you it’s the Yellow field with Red stripes. I learned that lesson the hard way when my partner became a US Citizen a couple years back. His response to the Red field with the Yellow star: “That’s not the flag of Vietnam”.


  73. SEALsmylaimassacre Says:

    It can only have been INTENTIONAL


  74. Raquel Broitman Says:

    How come I am not surprised? That whole combo including the clown we have in the presidency are incompetent. No surprise. We should send them all to Irak!


  75. Bill Section 147 Says:

    Idiot gaffe.

    Bush not responsible. So? Ha-ha. It is funny.

    Gawd. Is there no incompetence that can go undefended.

    “You cannot laugh at our President. Even the most minor errors are not actually errors…and pointing at them and laughing is just proof that you hate our freedoms.”


  76. Loonie Says:

    Oh for crying out loud, can’t those bumbling idiots get anything right?


  77. bob Says:

    why the heck is bu$h not impeached yet? first he steals TWO elections, and now this. not to mention going to war for oil and killing millions of people by lieing to the American people.


  78. Bluestocking Says:

    Whatever imbecilic, chuckleheaded, incompetent excuse for a human being was responsible with this latest piece of idiocy needs to be fired immediately! It would almost be laughable if it weren’t so incredibly embarrassing. I mean, for pity’s sake — anyone who’s even remotely computer-literate, capable of paying attention for more than five seconds at a time, and diligent in their work should have been able to get the correct information from the internet in a matter of minutes. Then again, incompetence and lack of critical knowledge and/or experience practically seems to be par for the course when it comes to employees of the Bush administration…


  79. Pity The Fool Says:

    Kissinger told them it was the correct flag. Remember, according to Woodward he’s replaying the Vietnam war again. Maybe they’re going to cram AF-1 full of special forces and try and take the airport?


  80. ItsJustKarma Says:

    To all those learning-impaired monkey fans: Go and Dick yourself. About flags: This was intentionally. The monkey-admin loves to irritate their enemies. Vietnam is still the enemy, right? They are communist, right? Like Cuba, right?
    What flag are they coming up with for Cuba? The one before the so called end-of-slavery? BTW:”Cheney asks judge to dismiss CIA leak lawsuit against him”


  81. Bluestocking Says:

    I think if you ask a Vietnamese-American which is the flag of Vietnam, they’ll tell you it’s the Yellow field with Red stripes. I learned that lesson the hard way when my partner became a US Citizen a couple years back. His response to the Red field with the Yellow star: “That’s not the flag of Vietnam”. — Stevious

    *****************************

    You’re splitting hairs here, Stevious — and your remarks are beside the point. I can understand why a Vietnamese-American would not wish to acknowledge that the flag with the yellow star is the flag of Vietnam, because it was not the flag of their Vietnam (assuming that most Vietnamese-American families originated in South Vietnam). However, like it or lump it, the flag with the yellow star is the flag which represents the country of Vietnam as it currently exists — and the fact that the Bush administration is displaying what is officially an obsolete flag to represent Vietnam during an international summit is to say the least a highly embarrassing blunder.


  82. willie Says:

    Well, I’ve got to admit, the people who say that Bush is probably not personally responsible for this screw-up may have a point.
    But, where is the apology? Come on, Georgie Boy, you make a boo-boo, you gotta make the apology, right?


  83. LewMills Says:

    OK, so everybody knows W has the mentle agility of a small soap dish, but about Clinton and Monica…my only dissappointment in that saga was she was not a real babe…besides, if you are the POTUS, and you get a hummer from a hefty, I mean, isn’t that one of the PERKS of being POTUS? If not, then shouldn’t it be? At least the Kennedy’s had taste…MM vs ML…no freakin’ contest!!!


  84. ricky blume Says:

    Geeeezzzz. I’ve been to Vietnam. andf they don’t suffer fools gladly. maybe they should stay home.


  85. Rufus Says:

    Hey, give Bush some slack. If you didn’t serve in VietNam, you wouldn’t know which flag is which.


  86. pops Says:

    He is going over there to give away more American jobs


  87. Paul in LA Says:

    If you think that was an accident, you AREN’T paying attention.

    It’s a classic WHO’S YOUR DADDY move — just as classless as everything else the Boy Wonder has done.


  88. pc Says:

    Didn’t they do this with China or someone a while back? And they think we should trust them on security, diplomacy, etc. Yea right. This stupid act is just one great big DUH. Another Karl Rove “the genius” move.


  89. Anais Says:

    Does this White House have the intelligence or grace to do ANYTHING right?




  90. Bluestocking Says:

    Hey, give Bush some slack. If you didn’t serve in Vietnam, you wouldn’t know which flag is which. — Rufus

    *********************

    I’m inclined to assume that you’re being facetious (at least, I can only hope that you are) — but it’s still no excuse considering that anyone with a computer and a few functioning brain cells could have gone onto Google Images and retrieved the correct result in about five seconds (maybe ten, if they’re still using a dial-up). Not to mention the fact that one would be inclined to think people who work at the State Department (which I imagine would be the agency largely responsible for this summit, given that it’s international) would — or should — at least have a rudimentary knowledge of what flag goes with what country!


  91. WaltTheMan Says:

    The Vietnamese can retaliate by displaying the Union Jack and playing “God Save the Queen” at his welcome ceremony.


  92. Người Việt Says:

    I’m totally agree with the comment #72 from Stevious

    I think if you ask a Vietnamese-American which is the flag of Vietnam, they’ll tell you it’s the Yellow field with Red stripes. I learned that lesson the hard way when my partner became a US Citizen a couple years back. His response to the Red field with the Yellow star: “That’s not the flag of Vietnam”.

    If Vietnamese Communist let a people of Vietnam free to choose a flag to represent Vietname, I’m sure it’s not a red flag.


  93. VietVanguard Says:

    Hopefully, when Mr. Bush got into Hanoi, no one mixing up USA anthem with Russia’s :)


  94. Karim Says:

    Oh my god, this is too funny. How stupid can one man be?


  95. cg Says:

    #35. Does anyone remember the good ol’ days when people weren’t losing their jobs and American soldiers were not being killed in Iraq? Can anyone say BILL CLINTON??

    Bill Clinton is from the same group of elites who run the world. I am no Bush fan but jobs were leaving long before Bush took office. Under Clinton through NAFTA, CAFTA and every other free trade program jobs have been goin other places. American people need to wake up. You think its coincedience that Clinton hangs out with Bush Sr. I am 26 and when I turn 28 the Bushs & Clintons will have ran this country for 20 years, not to mention if Hillary get elected it could be 24 and 28 yrs. The only thing that Democrats and Republicans do well is to divide the American people.


  96. big papa Says:

    Why they let that corksucker out of the country…

    …I’ll never know…

    …I hope he breaks down on the Ho Chi Minh Trail…

    …with no spare…


  97. Toimeme Says:

    At least they got the colors right…


  98. Long Live Old Vietnam Says:

    This was no mistake.


  99. Barton Keyes Says:

    I think if you ask a Vietnamese-American which is the flag of Vietnam, they’ll tell you it’s the Yellow field with Red stripes

    So?

    Shrubster isn’t visiting Vietnamese-Americans.

    He’s visiting Vietnam. Vietnam has had the red flag with the yellow star now for more than 30 years. I think it’s about time stop having shit fits over Jane Fonda, VC flags, etc., etc., on and endlessly on and Get Over It, don’t you?
    Especially since Vietnam-obsessed conservatoids have managed to get us into what could be a bigger mess than Vietnam.


  100. hyperpolarizer Says:

    …that’s two …


  101. hyperpolarizer Says:

    … that’s two …


  102. Bloodstomper Says:

    Them three red stripes is symbols of Bush’s claw marks through a pool of his own yaller poop from when they was trying to drag him over there to do his duty.


  103. Peter Says:

    NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.”

    If that’s the case, then we’re already there.

    I live in Huntington Beach, CA–A stones throw away from Westminster and Garden Grove, CA, which are collectively known as “Little Saigon.” The red and yellow flag is shown daily throughout Little Saigon. Check out the pictures from the Tet parade back in 2001. Hell, there were almost riots in Little Saigon when a shopkeeper hung a flag and a picture of Ho Chi Minh in his shop.

    So if hanging a flag of the former Republic of Vietnam anywhere in the country is going to affect the trade talks, I’d say we’re already affected.

    Don’t get me wrong–Bush screwed up big time, though he may have been playing to the older Vietnamese-Americans who don’t recognize the current government of Vietnam and are staunch republicans. Maybe he got his information from Tan Nguyen. But NPR’s hyperbole that showing the flag anywhere may affect trade talks is completely absurd.


  104. Michael Karafin Says:

    Give the guy a break. It’s not like he’s ever been to Vietnam before…


  105. Lora Says:

    The President could have simply called upon the wide array of Marxist sympathizers who litter the Beltway and Internet and come up with the “correct” flag du jour for post war Viet Nam.
    Comment by Mighty Hypocrite

    Mighty Aphid,
    Do you know the meaning of the French term “du jour?” It literally means “of the day” and certainly is not applicable to describe a flag that has been in use for over 30 years.
    I’m sure there are people other than Marxist sympathizers who would know what the correct Vietnamese flag is. However, if the meaning of your comment is that Repugs are too stupid to find out even after 30 years or simply to use a fact-checker, then I can agree with you for once.


  106. Trader Nick Says:

    I find it amusing that so many of you rip the White House for flying the wrog flag when you would have no problem burning the American flag.


  107. WaltTheMan Says:

    #108 - Trader Nick,
    What the heck is a wrog flag? Is it one of those things that Repugs insist on pasting on their lapels? Akin to religion on their sleeves.


  108. Lora Says:

    #108 Trader Nick,
    Haven’t you learned yet from the results of the last election that the public is no longer buying your neo-CON questioning the patriotism of anyone who criticizes Bush? In reality, the number of Americans who have turned to burning the US flag is small, and it definitely does not include me.


  109. Sting 1976 Says:

    Don’t forget that this isn’t the first time the Bush Administration has screwed up with Asia. Remember when Hu Jintao visited the White House in April and it was a big deal… we had a huge ceremony on the white house lawn… there was a military band… a huge crowd… and before we played their national anthem we announced their country… as “The Republic of China”… that’s actually the proper name of Taiwan… the real name of China is the ‘Peoples Republic of China’. The President of China was not happy.


  110. matt Says:

    Well, that’s the flag of the government Donald Gregg, Richard Armitage, John Singlaub, Oliver North, and Ted Shackley were dealing with in their good old drug-running days between Laos and Viet Nam, the forerunner of the Iran-Contra financing scheme. Might as well dust it off.

    It’s fitting that the illegitimate president of the US would have a website displaying the flag of another illegitimate government.


  111. George "the decider" Bush Says:

    This is as embarassing as when Gentle George protested Mr Feliciano’s singing of “Jose Can You See.” George probably forgot to check The Internets, and use The Googly Earth program to check which flag was flying in Viet Nam.

    Try not to blame the poor-soft-headed-president. He just suffered through an experience similar to a divorce… Everyone says he is wrong, his money is all gone, and he JUST LOST HIS HOUSE.

    I do worry a bit though, as it was overheard in “high places” that a recent ARBUSTO (translates to Spanish “A President’s Vagina”) found oil reserves in Viet Nam. I think GI George is ARMED AND DANGEROUS.



  112. uhclem Says:

    #108 I promise not to burn the flag if you’ll promise not to shred the Constitution…


  113. Religious Freedom Says:

    Sounds like a Freudian slip alright. Vietnam tries to cover up all its religious persecutions temporarily and Washington falls for it by removing them from the Black List of Religious Persecutions. The Capitol’s just sending a message that Economics might be rising in the current Vietnam, but morals flew stronger in the old Vietnam and that is what truly holds together a country.


  114. thomas braun Says:

    As one who served honorably in Vietnam, and who returned home to the states to join VVAW, like Senator John Kerry, and to force an end to that illegal and immoral war, I am compelled to comment on this latest bush insult toward the Vietnamese people. Whether intentional or unintentional, it remains a major insult.

    Bush is the president. His incompetence has been on exhibit since his days as governor of Texas. He is a moron and a fool. The US government - on his watch - has been a disappointing failure in every regard, from Iraq to Katrina, from the Medicaid drug hoax to election fraud and on and on. This is par for the course. I worked my ass off to have Gore, and later Kerry, elected instead of the incompetent fake we now have as president. everyone who voted for this dummy shares responsibility for all he has done or not done - from this insult to the Vietnamese people, to the shameful deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians and approx. 3,000 (U.S. Govt figure) US dead with thousands more wounded and maimed military members. I must check my anger and deep feelings when I write about what the bush administration has done to this country and the world. I despise everything they stand for. They bring shame upon our beautiful country. PEACE


  115. WaltTheMan Says:

    Thank you, Thomas, for serving our nation in Nam and in the last two presidential elections.


  116. longhuong Says:

    The south Vietnam Republic was the yellow flag with three red stripe which was “American old friend” flag or “old ally” even American abandoned since 1975 but American Veterans is still remember : ” ah ! this one was our friend’s flag not the old enemy flag with the Red and yellow star ” .
    Abandoned old ” Friend ” and play game with old enemy is not a good game ! the world is watching that policy . Who can believe American any more ?


  117. JohnR Says:

    The Red Flag is repugnant to many Vietnamese. It respresents death and destructions that comes with Communism. I’m glad to see the yellow flag displayed, even if its politically incorrect.


  118. Frank Stewart Says:

    There are many idiots out there. It doesn’t surprise me when there is one in the White House.


  119. Frank Stewart Says:

    There are many dumb people out there. It doesn’t surprise me when there in one in the White House.


  120. Mike Papa Tombo Says:

    I think the chicken-hawks that run this administration displayed that old SVN flag on purpose. Thus they appeal to the old anti-communist leanings that some of my fellow vets and whats left of the old South Vietnam still have. Once we get out of Iraq the deserter-in-chief and the draft dodger second-in-command will need another “bad guy” to go after.


  121. ConM Says:

    Pres. Bush was not voted by Viet commies, he was voted by Vietnamese-Americans. If he still wants support from the Vietnamese community, that old flag should stay there.


  122. LeTho Says:

    Mr. Bush is the President of the USA, and he does what the US constitutes. The Old Flag sympolizes of Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights; however the Vietname Communist flag doesn’t!


  123. NguyenTram Says:

    President Bush can fly the Yellow and 3 Red Stripes anytime!!!!!!!!!!!!

    All Vietnamese-Americans who fled Vietnam as political refugees are very proud of President Bush for displaying our great flag.

    I am very disappointed in all those cut and run liberal democrats who want to leave freedom loving people behind to defend for themselves after America committs to a war in their defense. Americans should be ashamed of themselves for deserting the South Vietnamese in 1975!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


  124. NguyenTram Says:

    The PRESIDENT made every VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN very proud when the White House website posted the REAL yellow and 3 red stripe Vietnamese flag.


  125. TheHomes Says:

    liberal democrats will never know what its like to lose their flag when there is a REPUBLICAN President in office. STOP BURNING YOUR AMERICAN FLAGS and watch the middle east do it for you.

    liberal democrats are too ignorant to know how dumb they are.


  126. rachelle Says:

    i’ve got news, people: i live in Texas. i can tell you FOR CERTAIN that GWB cannot find Vietnam on a globe, map, chart, or PICTURE of Vietnam. he DOES NOT CARE. those things about which he does not care simply do not exist to him. in his fuzzy, addled brain it is 1954, the The Beav is waiting for him in the Rose Garden.

    when in France, i am always asked about him. once they learn i am from Texas, they ask if he was a good governor. after i explain that the position is mostly ceremonial, and that he personally had no real power, they laugh. when they learn of how we all knew how FREAKIN’ STUPID he was all along, they freak. when they carefully point out to me the questionable circumstances under which he began his regime, and i concur, they are shocked that Americans are not rioting in the streets! they cannot understand how THE DUMBEST (and most corrupt) MAN IN THE WORLD ended up The Leader of the Free World–TWICE!!!

    i cannot either. for the first time in my life i wish i could travel into the future, to be able to read the historical explanations for this twilight-zone era–that is, assuming something is finally done about Global Warming/Climate Change, and there are any people (or something resembling civilization) left to remember. (i won’t hold my breath.)


  127. athair_siochain Says:

    126 posts about a flag, does it really matter , which Vietnam Flag is used, it wont change anything, Bush is spokes person for the Nation that dumped 20.000.000 tons of agent orange [ weed killer]over Vietnam, he should be arrested and face war crimes, what were you fighting for, oops the commies were under your bed, an exuse to invade another Country, now you have Muslims under your bed, having said that , the good Americans gave the Bush Army a whipping, I celebrated here in Australia with a few mates from LA,
    Maybe Bush should use his White Flag,


  128. athair_siochain Says:

    Rachelle , too true, global warming should be the only agenda of every government in the world, we need to declare war on those who contribute to the destruction of our World


  129. Mathilde Says:

    The PRESIDENT made every VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN very proud when the White House website posted the REAL yellow and 3 red stripe Vietnamese flag.

    If you ask any TRULY Vietnamese, he will tell you that the red one with yellow star is the real and ONLY one for Vietnamese. Poor you, I guess you still keep with you the spite of 30 years ago. I ‘ve lived in Vietnam for 5 years and I can see they almost forget everything of the war. They have what you lack: the tolerance. I love the Vietnamese.


  130. Truong Cao Says:

    The White web diplaying the three red stripes and yellow backgroup is absolutely correct as this flag is being recognized by 6 states and over 80 cities in United States of America as well as millions of Vietnamese-American who have paying taxes to USA treasures.

    TruongCao


  131. Saigon-Vietnam Says:

    I’am in Saigon, Vietnam. I love the old flag that is the Yellow field with Red stripes. But I don’t have any choice.


  132. Tung Says:

    Shit happens everywhere


  133. Hanoian Says:

    I’am in Saigon, Vietnam. I love the old flag that is the Yellow field with Red stripes. But I don’t have any choice.

    Saigon-Vietnam

    ****************************

    R u Vietnamese?? i hope not.
    Shame on u guys sayin this shitty things.

    I’m Vietnamese.
    Our flag is Red with a yellow star- represents bravery , unyieldingness !

    im so proud of that!

    Peace!
    Out.
    !


  134. Hanoian Says:

    I’am in Saigon, Vietnam. I love the old flag that is the Yellow field with Red stripes. But I don’t have any choice.

    ———————————

    R u Vietnamese? Hope not.
    Shame on u guys sayin’ this shitty things.

    Im Vietnamese.
    Our Flag is Red w/a yellow star - represents Unyieldingness , bravery !!!

    So proud of that.

    Peace!
    Out.


  135. Kun Says:

    This is true insulting to the Vietnamese. Even thou it was not on Bush intention cause he was too stupid to understand so.

    And to Saigon-Vietnam with your comment No134 : you should really be ashamed of yourself if you still consider yourself Vietnamese and still living in Vietnam. You i-lack-of-knowledge idiot.

    -Kun-


  136. nguyen hung Says:

    I’am in Saigon, Vietnam. I love the old flag that is the Yellow field with Red stripes. But I don’t have any choice.

    Really funny! If u dun want, u can go out of Vietnam to join the place where u can fly your flag. We dun need the person like u in our beautiful country.
    We, the VIETNAMESE, just want peace. And the red flag with yellow star is the symbol of our peace, freedom and independence. You guy said that ur old flag is the symbol of democracy, freedom,etc.. Do u know that your happiness was the deaths of many of your compatriots years ago. No, I shouldn’t say “compatriot”. You live in a different world from us.
    I know that the American, as well as nearly all ppl in this world hate war. Vietnam had to suffer many in the war. No, until now, there are still many innocent Vietnamese children don’t even have the “right of having ordinary lives” because of the agent orange. I’m sure u guy used to see the pictures about them.
    But, we now put all the spites in the past. If you want to be our friends, we always welcome. The persons like Mathilde are always welcome in Vietnam.
    And about he ppl always living in the animosity, better let them live in their oasis.


  137. JohnR Says:

    The Red Flag is what is commonly called, the “BLOOD FLAG’ is a flag of Communism. The Red signifies the blood of the revolution to overthrow Capitalist and install Communism.

    In the Soviet Union, the people spent 70 years under the banner of a Blood Flag. Once the shackle of tyrrany from Communism was removed, the free people of the former Soviet Union quickly removed the Blood Flag and replaced it with a flag that represent the people.

    Today, Vietnam is still one of the most repressed country in the world. But one day, when the shackle of tyrrany is removed from the ankle of the people, the first order of duty is the removal of the Blood Flag and a new flag will rise that represent the people of the country and not Communism.

    My spirit was lifted when the “wrong” flag flew momentarily on the White House web site. It gives hope to the Vietnamese people that one day their children can join the free world. This APEC meeting is the start of a new era.

    I wait patiently and anxiously to see a new world where there is Freedom for Vietnamese living in Vietnam. Until that day come, I will light a candle of hope for the people of the country.

    Until that


  138. zenseeker Says:

    The Vietnamese government is as corrupt as ours, if not more. I wrote a piece about the need to admit the truth about Vietnam here:
    And I also like the yellow flag as I made a version of it here, even thought I agree that it was 30 years ago and we should let bygones be bygones…but always verify…as we do with our own goverment.
    Take care and keep up the good fight and visit my Slapping hall of shame at zenwired.com


  139. to^i ghe't bush Says:

    the money they spent on the Iraq war should had been used in hiring tutors for their president. Hey, i’m sure this ‘ll cost quite a lot, since it’s not easy to make a stupid have the basic knowledge of a normal person.


  140. Krystine Ng Says:

    This is so offensive to Vietnamese People. The website must have an apology to all Vietnamese.


  141. Hanoian Says:

    …rlly offensive to all da ppl who love peace in this world!

    sigh!


  142. nguyen hung Says:

    Today, Vietnam is still one of the most repressed country in the world. But one day, when the shackle of tyrrany is removed from the ankle of the people, the first order of duty is the removal of the Blood Flag and a new flag will rise that represent the people of the country and not Communism.

    Hey guy! How much do you know about us?? Why can you say such a thing that the Vietnamese never feel? What you comment was just like your President, always about “human right” in our country. Vietnam is a developing country and we are still not rich enough as the US to assure a happy life for everybody. But can you tell me about the “human right” in USA? But I can tell you one thing: We never have the racial or religious discrimination. We are an unity. And we are always happy to live in Vietnam and proud of being Vietnamese. So,guy, if you really care about us, please stop your deviatory thought. Respect to us is the first thing we need from you.


  143. troi` oi Says:

    sao tui chinh’ quyen` My~ co’ the ngu den’ the’ , h ahahah, va` ca tui. ung ho. chinh’ quyen` vn cong. hoa` ngay` xua nua~, toan` 1 bon. bat’ tai` va` dan` don. hahahha


  144. Lê Anh Says:

    Con bà chúng mày, làm ăn như cái lìn thế à?


  145. Lê Hùng Says:

    Hey boy and girl, it’s just a simple mistake, people making mistakes are no big deal. I’d bet a bunch of you liberal dont even know where the Vietnam is let alone the political conditions in VN right now. I’ll will live until the day America is attacked again and democrats are running like rat, only Rep. are the one who stand up and fight. Dont say anything when your head is clouded with the haze of marijuana, dude

    It just a joke to think change in VN are for real, there are money to be sucking off everyday by the one so called goverment officials. Corruption are rampant, freedom are just a propaganda, say something against them you’d be brand a terrorist and will be shot or deported. Read the news dude.

    Ê, việt cộng câm mồm lại và mở sáng mắt ra mà thấy các ông chúng mày ở nước ngoài dạy dổ làm cách nào để thay đổi cho đât nước Vietnam được đứng ngang hàng với các cường quốc trên thế giới.


  146. ngoc minh Says:

    Poor him! Ha ha! We dun care about the fools like you. I feel ashamed when you guy use a Vietnamese name to comment.


  147. Hung Lề Says:

    First off, a stupid mistake like that should not be made and whoever did that should be sacked. Permanently. Diplomacy relies on each and every little detail.
    Second, this is for the dude #148.
    Stop living off social security and work your arse off, save some instead of gamble it all. Then try to educate yourself eh, before you attemp to teach anyone, d|ckhead.


  148. TheHomes Says:

    congratulations to the ignorant liberal democrats of america for posting this article, because you idiots just became the best friends of the murderous thieves that love their red commie flag. you liberal morons will attract more democracy-hating commies to your website. good job…retards!


  149. TheHomes Says:

    i hope you stupid liberals will enjoy all the viet cong propaganda on your website from now on. hahaha!!!!


  150. TramUyen Says:

    Liberal democrats who think the red commie Viet Cong flag is the official flag of Vietnam are the laughing stock of the free world. It is not President Bush who made a mistake, it is the democrats who made the mistake…that mistake is hypocrisy. First of all the democrats don’t want to allow free trade agreement between Vietnam and the US, but then they blame Bush for offending the Viet Congs by posting the Yellow & 3 Red Striped Flag of Vietnam. Nice twist, huh?

    Secondly, liberal democrats are worried that Bush will give American jobs to Vietnam, but then they say that Bush may have jepordized relations with Vietnam. Don’t these idiot liberals know that Viet Congs only want US jobs and US dollars. Don’t you know the Viet Congs sell children in the sex slave trade?

    Liberal ignorance is the anesthetic for liberal stupidity.


  151. Vietnam Says:

    Since when have the democrats ever cared about risking American lives for trying to save people from living under oppession? Democrats just don’t want American military men and women to save people from oppression. They just want to bring the troops home quickly so the Viet Cong and Iraqi insurgents to murder anyone who wants freedom and democracy for Vietnam and Iraq. The way the democrats are handling the Iraq war is the same way they handled the Vietnam war, or should I say the American War, as the way the VC’s call it.


  152. Vietnam Says:

    I am Vietnam. I am a proud country that flies the Yellow and 3 Red Stiped Flag in my heart and soul. You moronic liberals won’t ever see the heart and soul of Vietnam, because you are blinded by hatred and contempt for your President.


  153. Hung Lê Says:

    Since when does the American govt care about someone else but their interest? All the freedom and democracy cliché-s sound nice but they ain’t nothing when it comes to what benefits the US govt will get in return.
    This is in no way reflect my opinion on the American people. Just the administration and it is fine.
    Now for all those who are still nostalgic for the old regime, get over it. No amount of cursing and back stabbing will do anyone any good. Go home and see the changes, it ain’t the best, it ain’t perfect but people enjoy peace and stability.
    About Mr Bush, if you are on his side, get your head out of your ar$e and see what he is doing. He is paying an official visit to Vietnam. Yeah, the Vietnam with the red flag with a yellow star. Does that mean something to you? Or you are too stupid and blinded by your hatred for what’s already in the past. It is pathetic.
    Look to the future.


  154. Nguoi yeu nuoc Says:

    It ’s unacceptable.We demande a sorry from WH .That action make the
    american companies have more difficults in VN


  155. Martin Says:

    To the citizens of the USA grab your guns head over to the white house and take back your Country before that gang of evil doers blow up another country and kill a couple hundred thousand more people. Are they Christian’s? My guess know. On the other hand they look more and more like the devil.
    Martin


  156. nietzsche Says:

    Which flag to hang is rather tiny, inessential matters? Let’s hang the pusillanimous men and their noxious, innept leadership of the puppet-south vietnamese goverment along with some american key players for the lost of millions of vietnamese and thousands of american lives condemned to serve in Vietnam… the poor, the uneducated, the peasant and the proletariat are the ones that suffer… stop your ridiculous rants among the senile, delusional Viet Kieu over the WH’s flag of choice… why didn’t you choose to fight, to die for VN’s democracy and her people then instead of running abroad? The current VNese gov’t fought, died and now is control… they can display whatever crap they want… the WH’s decision is purely self-serving, self-interest… all human beings are selfish… so don’t quack too loudly about your own nobility… it belies deception… existence is nihilistic


  157. romunov’s blog et al :: It’s been a while :: November :: 2006 Says:

    […] In some recent news, Bush is has visitedVietnam (for the first time?) and the White House homepage displayed the wrong flag. Oops. The display of the old flag is highly incendiary to the current Vietnamese government. NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.” […]



  158. Le Hung Says:

    ….why didn’t you choose to fight, to die for VN’s democracy and her people then instead of running abroad? The current VNese gov’t fought, died and now is control… they can display whatever crap they want
    Comment by nietzsche….

    We’re freedom supporters and welcome change inside Vietnam; we never criticize of any government that works to improve the life of its citizen if it’s not for the current one in VN. And yes they can do whatever they’d want by putting VN’s economy behind 25 years in comparison with Taiwan, S.Korea ….even Thailand. Communist is the gargantuan obstacle for further the economic development in VN. No we didn’t quit fighting for the VN’s democracy, thousand of Vietnamese from abroad and inside are risking their lives to voice the differences and continue to do so. Only this time with more intelligent choice of arsenals. Hallucinated and quitter like you liberals only makes the matters worse and slow to the advancing of the world’s democracy and VN, we could have not ask for more…

    For the lick-ass viet-cong, yes we’re educated and graduated Vietnamese from around the world’s universities and in US including myself if we don’t we’d become an ass-licking uneducated just like you …dude, what’s a waste…!!!

    FYI – The head of VN’s new Intel facilities will be one of Vietnamese-American from US and some of us will have to travel to Vietnam for training linguistic supports & assignments


  159. Ho Chi Minh Says:

    I love democrats from the US of A. They pretty much gave me the kingdom of Vietnam, of which I handed down to my son, Nong Duc Manh to further oppress Vietnamese people.

    Truly yours,

    Ho Chi Minh


  160. Ho Chi Minh Says:

    Dear American liberals,

    I am Ho Chi Minh, and I urge you not to allow free trade between Vietnam and America until my son Nong Duc Manh takes me out of this glass box and give me a proper burial. I never wanted to be thrown into a glass casket and put on display for tourists to look at my rotting bones. Please pinish my son, Nong Duc Manh, for using my decayed body to attract tourism in Vietnam.

    Sincerely,

    Ho Chi Minh


  161. Ho Chi Minh Says:

    Dear American liberals,

    I am Ho Chi Minh, and I urge you not to allow free trade between Vietnam and America until my son Nong Duc Manh takes me out of this glass box and give me a proper burial. I never wanted to be thrown into a glass casket and put on display for tourists to look at my rotting bones. Please punish my son, Nong Duc Manh, for using my decayed body to attract tourism in Vietnam.

    Sincerely,

    Ho Chi Minh


  162. Ho Chi Minh Says:

    I really hate it when my Vietnamese people go to America on a Student Visa Program and then once they taste freedom, they decide to stay in America. I hate it when they use Vietnam’s money to purchase a fake marriage just to get a GREEN CARD from America. I really hope Hillary Clinton helps me send back all those sneaky Vietnamese girls who leave Vietnam for a Green Card in America.


  163. Dinh Nguyen Says:

    I say screw Vietnam. I’m over here thanks to the stupid x-tians and I’ve got your job round eyes. If you’ll excuse me I got to get back to making phones here at Nokia in Fort Worth Texas. You know like the one you’re talking on now whitey. Made you fight our war give me your job and now you’re worried about offending me. The white man is such a Loser; you deserve to be outbred.


  164. Peter Bennett Says: