The most popular items claimed to be stored inside the gold ball are a razor blade, a match and a bullet. The razor must be used to cut down the flag from the halyard, or tear it into strips.
The match is for burning the flag, the most dignified way in which to destroy it, according to the United States Flag Code Title 4, Section 8k. And the bullet is either to be used as a final attempt to defend the flag, or in assisting the soldier to end his or her own life.
Other variations include a penny for blinding the enemy or, perhaps more symbolically, to ensure the United States will never be broke. Some versions include a grain of rice or wheat to be used to give the soldier strength or rebuild food supplies in the event of a victory.
For those curious about the usefulness of a bullet without a gun, some stories include details about a pistol being buried at the base of the flagpole or some 50 paces away. To be fair, Kabul could yet possibly reverse Taliban momentum in the war of perception. The Afghan military does have an improving combat aviation capability and an veteran core of special and quick reaction forces. And even should the Taliban eventually seize population centers, there are segments of Afghan society likely to continue resisting the Pashtun-dominated group, particularly amongst the Tajik and Hazara minorities heavily represented in the Northern Alliance of old.
The Afghan Air Force, which the U. Since May 1, the original deadline for the U. Regional actors around Afghanistan—think China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey and most Central Asian states—may also step into the void left by Washington, possibly fearing that a re-ascendant Taliban could inspire destabilizing Islamist extremist groups on their own soil or seeing an opportunity to cultivate more influence in the region.
Such assistance might secure the survival of the Afghan government or at least an anti-Taliban opposition, but seems unlikely to prevent the Taliban from remaining a powerful, if not dominant, actor in Afghan politics. For now Kabul must seek to stem the bleeding of its inventory—not only to reverse mounting public perception of an inevitable Taliban victory following a U. This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. More From Forbes. Nov 11, , am EST. Nov 10, , pm EST.
Nov 10, , am EST. Weapons are scant, but you need to keep Old Glory from falling into enemy hands. What do you do? Scale the flagpole. At the top sits a little golden sphere known as the finial ball. Inside is a razor blade, a match, and a bullet.
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