"John Cook" wrote in message
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On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:17:56 +0300, noname wrote:

Does it have something to do with white flags?

No, but it might have something to do with the repainting it needed
when an invading force burnt it down...

If it had been "burnt down" I don't think a little paint would have helped.
Granted, they did do a lot of damage.