The White House failed another protocol test when it hung the Philippine flag upside down as a backdrop to the president's meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.
Hanging the Philippine flag upside down
President Obama met with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in New York with flags from member country as a backdrop.
The only problem: The Philippine flag was hanging upside down. From the Associated Press:
The U.S. government said Sunday it made an “honest mistake” when it displayed an inverted Philippine flag — which wrongfully signified that the Southeast Asian nation was in a state of war — in a meeting hosted by President Barack Obama.
The Philippine flag was displayed upside down behind President Benigno Aquino III when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Obama in New York on Friday.
Didn’t someone check before placing the flag? So much for the promise of a more friendly foreign policy Obama promised in 2008:
Obama and Biden will renew American diplomacy to meet the challenges of the 21st century. They will rebuild our alliances. And they would be willing to meet with all nations, friend and foe, to advance American interests.
Sources:
Associated Press, Sept. 26, 2010
US: Inverted Philippine flag was ‘honest mistake’
BarackObama.com
