Another political quagmire for another President? Protestors by the thousands rallied against the war in Iraq.

Question

Thousands protest as war enters 5th year By LARRY MARGASAK and MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON - Denouncing a conflict entering its fifth year, protesters across the country raised their voices Saturday against U.S. policy in Iraq and marched by the thousands to the Pentagon in the footsteps of an epic demonstration four decades ago against another divisive war.


A counterprotest was staged, too, on a day of dueling signs and sentiments such as "Illegal Combat" and "Peace Through Strength," and songs like "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "War (What's It Good For?)."

Thousands crossed the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial to rally loudly but peacefully near the Pentagon. "We're here in the shadow of the war machine," said anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. "It's like being in the shadow of the death star. They take their death and destruction and they export it around the world. We need to shut it down."

Smaller protests were held in other U.S. cities, stretching to Tuesday's four-year anniversary of the Iraq invasion. In Los Angeles, Vietnam veteran Ed Ellis, 59, hoped the demonstrations would be the "tipping point" against a war that has killed more than 3,200 U.S. troops and engulfed Iraq in a deadly cycle of violence.

"It's all moving in our direction, it's happening," he predicted at the Hollywood rally. "The administration, their get-out-of-jail-free card, they don't get one anymore."

Overseas, tens of thousands marched in Madrid as Spaniards called not only for the U.S. to get out of Iraq but to close the prison for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Smaller protests were staged in Greece and Turkey.

Answer 1

Those who support the protests say thouands are a lot.

Those who oppose the protests say thousands are a drop in the bucket and can be ignored as a non-representative fringe.

Personally, I'm proud of anyone who gets out and speaks out for what they believe, whether I agree with them or not.

Answer 2

You have a right to your OPINION. I have a right to my OPINION. It is NOT a quagmire but victory is just around the corner. A nation of 300,000,000 people does not have many radical left wingers if only thousands (the plural of a thousand could be only 2 thousand so the term "thousands" is not clear) show up for their demonstration. A reporter that was writing a news report on this demonstration would probably say "A few thousand anti-war demonstrators showed up to rally against the war in Iraq. They were expecting at least 20,000 but the number was well short of that" While the reporter that was against the war in Iraq would have done the article about like this one. So, maybe we should consider what political ideals the reporter has at heart.

Answer 3

Matching t-shirts and busloads of students. I wonder if they even know what they are protesting at times. Peace and love and harmony, I guess.
The protests in Spain are kind of ironic - do they not remember the train bombings? A protest in Hollywood - that's a big surprise.
Cindy Sheehan still advocating for the "freedom fighters."
What next? "Support the terrorists" bumper stickers?
I am not a war monger, but neither am I a "peace at any cost" advocate. One must be realistic and realize that there are people in this world who are hell bent on domination and hatred - and have demonstrated that they will stop at nothing to initiate their total rule and ideology of complete control under Islamic Sharia law.
It's a tough pill to swallow, but the fact is, the defense of ones freedoms and way of life is worth fighting for. And under no circumstance should we bow to the terror tactics, acts of war and indiscriminate murder tactics of this demented ideology.

Answer 4

Oldsalt -- I enjoy your right of Freedom of Speech but your name calling is very Juvenile.

I very much disagree with your sense of values but I won't call an ignorant s.o.b.

Unlike you I believe the the US is engulfed in a quagmire. After all, it was supposed to be a two week venture.

Answer 5

Did you know that those whiny a.s.s wieners started leaving 1 1/2 hours into the protest because it was TOO COLD? There were THREE TIMES as many ANTI-PROTESTERS (we vets at THE WALL) as there were whiny protesters (this figure was reported to us by the D.C. park service, but you'll not find the media saying it.).
"Oh, it's too cold today, let's call it quits." waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I wonder why the inbred media didn't cover those who were standing straight and tall AGAINST Jane the Hanoi Whore Fonda and her followers? Who did NOT cut and run because IT WAS TOO COLD?
Oh, yeah, they weren't NEWS WORTHY. REAL MEN AND WOMEN rarely are news worthy.

Answer 6

Somehow I doubt a few people holding a terrorist support rally is going to amount to anything more this time than it did the last time.

If these people want to help Al Qaeda this much, I'm sure somebody, somewhere will supply them with a bomb vest.

Answer 7

Iran is the huge objective. this is the 2nd u . s ., next to Saudi Arabia, with the main oil. additionally, the nuke software is a project, yet that would not ought to inevitably be stopped with conflict. in certainty, conflict on Iran may be a great mistake.

Answer 8

A bunch of protesters complaining about the very people protecting their freedoms.

And even still they cannot attract the number of people who would pay to attend the game of a mediocre professional sports team.

Answer 9

WRONG! There were no such gatherings. Another lie perpetuated by the drive-by liberal media.