The DUP's Christopher Stalford has countered that the Union flag campaign was a pan unionist effort on a point of principle.

BBC: Why has so much heat been generated now over flags?

But the very effort to ensure the fairness of prosecutions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice depends on a principle that contributes to the protracted and confidential nature of such prosecutions: preventing command interference with the proceedings.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Get a grip