Protesters commemorate Iraqi War outside White House
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Protestors hold placards during an anti-war rally to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Iraq War outside the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 19, 2011. [Xinhua/Zhang Jun] |
Hundreds of protesters on Saturday gathered outside the White House, commemorating the 8th anniversary of the Iraqi War which falls on Sunday, demanding the United States pull its troops out of that country and Afghanistan.
Carrying signs that say "Money for jobs and schools, not war," "Bring our war $$$ home," and "We can't afford the Pentagon, we're broke," the sentiment at this year's rally reflect the pinch the country is feeling at a time of economic hardship.
President Obama said "combat troops are gone, but why are soldiers still dying over there?" questioned Zach Choate, an Iraq War veteran who served in Iraq with the Army's Tenth Mountain Division.
"How about Iraqis who died over there?" a fellow protester chimed in. Many independent counts put violent deaths of Iraqis since the 2003 invasion well over 100,000. U.S. military deaths in Iraq is well above 4,000.
The United States ended its combat operations in Iraq last year. Secretary of the Army John McHugh told Congress last week the Army is having success in its withdrawal from Iraq, and should meet an end-of-year deadline for U.S. forces to withdraw from that country.
"It's time to bring them home," Choate said of the withdrawal.
In addition to Iraq, the U.S. military is also fighting an unpopular war in Afghanistan, and many protesters were carrying signs demanding withdrawal from that country now.
"Yes we can, USA out of Afghanistan!" the crowd shouted a tweaked version of the well-known "Yes we can" slogan of the Obama presidential campaign.
This year's event coincides with the developing situation in Libya, and many in the crowd were also carrying signs that say "No US/UN war on Libya," demanding the United States stay out of military adventure into that country.
"Any U.S./U.N. intervention against Libya will not liberate the people of Libya any more than the U.S. invasion of Iraq did," said a statement from the ANSWER coalition, a sponsor of the demonstration.
Nick Mottern, a retiree from Hastings on Hudson, NY, brought a two-meter long replica model of the Reaper drone he made to the rally. The unmanned drones were used for "targeted killing" by the U.S. military, and has resulted in many civilian deaths, especially in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.
"I'm against it, absolutely," said Mottern. He said the drones make war cheaper and more politically acceptable to the United States.
