Logo Design Love, a leading graphic design blog, has a short piece on the logos used by The International Red Cross, including the current claim by Johnson & Johnsn that the logo infringes on their trademark when used by the Red Cross to brand goods sold, in part, as fund-raisers for the U.S. Red Cross and its state chapters. 

On the one hand, it's immediately recognizable. On the other - given questions about RC effectiveness and transparency - once it's recognized, do we have a common understanding about what it means?

See also "Civil Defense Logo Dies at 67, and Some Mourn Its Passing," (Times), and Wonkette's   Proud Symbol of Fear Replaced By Wuss Emblem.

Flagspot notes that Article 66 of the Geneva Protocols (1977), establishes this as the international civil defense symbol:

We hope return to this issue shortly. We'll leave you with these variations of the ICRC symbol reported by Flagspot:

Answer after the jump:

It's the logo of the Irish Ministry of Defense. Part of a collection of defense department (does anyone call them "war" departments anymore?) from around the world.

Here's the link.

Via the inestimable Cory Doctorow at Boing Boing.