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• Iraqi Peace Could Be Harder Than War • War and Science Have Long, Uneasy History • Locking Out Household Mold With Steel

Questions and answers about the war:

Q. Why does the American flag patch on military fatigues appear "backward," with the blue field on the right?

A. The flag patch on the right sleeve of uniforms is referred to as the "reversed field" patch. It's intended to look as though the flag is blowing in a wind caused by the person's forward movement. The reversed field flag also appears on the right side of vehicles and planes, including Air Force One.

Q. What is the Baath Party?

A. Saddam Hussein's Baath Party traces its origins to the Baath (Renaissance) Party formed in the 1940s in Syria. The founding ideas of the party included Arab nationalism, socialism and overcoming class divisions. Baath parties exist in several Mideast nations, and have ruled in Syria and Iraq.

Q. What do coalition troops do with captured Iraqi weapons and ammunition?

A. Coalition troops generally destroy weapons and ammunition they recover.

Q. Do British soldiers eat the same MREs (meals ready to eat) as American troops?

A. British forces have their own Operational Ration Packs, containing such dishes as bacon and beans and Lancashire hot pot, a mix of mutton, potatoes and vegetables. Because of supply problems in Iraq, the British have sometimes also used American rations.

Send questions to warquestions(at)ap.org. Questions can be answered only through this column.

Associated Press researchers Monika Mathur, Barbara Sambriski and Julie Reed contributed to this report.

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