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I've setup a site that makes it easy for Facebook users to overlay a Syrian(or other) flag onto their profile pictures.

When compiling the list of flags that a user can put onto their picture, I wasn't quite sure which version of the Syrian Flag to use(two star or three star).

I decided to allow both as an option, and added an option for half and half. Seeing as the three starred variant is the one the rebels use, I'm wondering if it was a good idea to include it.

My questions are: is the three starred flag actually recognized? Does it have any negative connotation towards it? Could including it be viewed as taking a political stance on the situation?

I just want to ensure that the site remains as politically neutral as possible.

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    I have no answer for you, but good luck on trying to stay politically neutral. That's no easy task with Syria and the complexities of the conflicts going on. – user1530 Nov 17 '15 at 18:11
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    AFAIK no country has recognized the rebels (together or one of the groups) as the legitimate government of Syria, so I would say that, legally, the Syrian flag would still be the old one. That said, maybe you can use an "international" flag (Red Crescent, or Red Crystal, maybe even the Olympic flag -the42.ie/…) or just the word "Syria", either in Latin or Arabic (and a BIG disclaimer). Another option would be letting the user chose, but I think that would be a recipe for flame wars. – SJuan76 Nov 17 '15 at 22:03
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    Additionally, you can just add a note that you just follow the ISO (International Standard Organization) 3166, which describes the list of countries and flags (and if someone feels offended, they are free to contact the ISO to try to amend the list) translatorscafe.com/cafe/ES/ISO-3166-Country-Codes.htm, – SJuan76 Nov 17 '15 at 23:08
  • If you really want to stay politically neutral , you have to think about the following flags ,SSNP in Syria and Lebanon , Kurdistan ,Iraq (Saddam Flag) , Libya ,Cyrenaica in Libya , Catalonia ,Basque ,Bavaria , Western Sahara , Nubians ,and / or each ethnic group looks forward to being an independent country ....etc – Bahgat Nassour Nov 18 '15 at 2:51
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    Maybe an outline of the country would be a better bet than a flag? – PointlessSpike Nov 18 '15 at 8:40
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The first appearance of the flag used now by the Syrian Arab Republic (with the two green stars) was on 1st April 1958. It is not the ‘Assad regime’ flag as called by the so called "revolution".

It appeared before the existence of the ‘Assad regime’.

The first appearance of the flag used by the ‘revolutionaries’ and their Western backed armed, funded, and trained FSA (Free Syrian Army) was on 12 June 1932.

Seems pretty contradictory that the "revolution" would use this as their ‘Independence Flag’ because it appeared before Syria's independence which was achieved on 17 April 1946.

Between 1932 & 1946 Syria was under French mandate & this is the French Mandate Flag (the one with the three green stars).

Why would the ‘freedom fighters’, ‘rebels’, ‘revolutionaries’, ‘activists’ adopt a colonization flag as their symbol instead of the real independence flag? Well they greatly underestimate people's intelligence and think they can say and do anything and people will just accept it as the truth.

Syrians find the flag with the 3 green stars offensive and it should NEVER be used as The Syrian Flag.

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    "Syrians find the flag with the 3 green stars offensive" Biased and false. The three starred flag was used as the flag of independent syria from 46-58 and 61-63, so for most of the "pre-regime" history of syria. This is obviously what the rebels are invoking, not the French Mandate. – Colin May 19 '17 at 3:40

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