Obama win may be good news for Pakistan flag-makers

RAWALPINDI: Many Pakistanis fear US President Barack Obama’s re-election will mean a surge in America’s unpopular drone campaign, but for those making and selling US flags to burn at protests this could be good news.
Demonstrations against Washington’s programme of missile strikes against suspected al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists are common in the country, and no protest is complete without a stars and stripes being sent up in flames.
Nadeem Shah, the owner of a flag business in the city said he expected more drone strikes - and more protests. “Of course Obama has become stronger now and he will push his policies harder and there will be more drone strikes because he himself is stronger now,” Shah told AFP.
“When the drone strikes increase the protests against these strikes will also increase in the country and it can have an impact on the flags and poster business.” The flag industry enjoyed a boom in September when a US-made anti-Islam film sparked weeks of demonstrations, almost all lit up with ‘old glory’ being burned.
Shah said he was not hopeful of a stampede for his high-end products. afp

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