title: MySQL REGEXP: matching blank entries
body: <p>I have this SQL condition that is supposed to retrieve all rows that satisfy the given regexp condition:</p>
  
  <pre><code>country REGEXP ('^(USA|Italy|France)$')
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, I need to add a pattern for retrieving all blank country values. Currently I am using this condition </p>
  
  <pre><code>country REGEXP ('^(USA|Italy|France)$') OR country = ""
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>How can achieve the same effect without having to include the OR clause?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks,
  Erwin</p>