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21 Mar, 2010 09:24

“What's going on with war?”

It has been seven years since the US and its allies launched their invasion of Iraq. Hailed initially as a decisive coalition victory, that view was soon dispelled as the insurgency spread.

Along with the violence, anger has been growing at America's global military aggression.

On the day of spring equinox when everywhere there are signs that winter has given way, hundreds of people protest in front of the White House against the government that “is carrying out a terroristic agenda around the world.”

They declared that “the US is threatening Iran because it says it is a threat in the Middle East,” and “invaded and devastated Iraq because of some imagined weapons of mass destruction.”

Vietnam veteran Joseph Hayes from Veterans For Peace thinks it is tragic and it is a crime. Speaking about the American soldiers that died in that war, Hayes believes that “All these young people mostly in their teens and twenties that aren't around anymore. And that brings the question to mind: Should we be fighting wars that kill these people? Is it worth it? Is there a good reason for fighting wars? Is it to defend our country? Or is it for another reason?”

Protesters believe that “Uncle Sam has been a symbol for war and everything and it just doesn't have to be. War is a useless part of our society and even Uncle Sam is against it.”

“We need to bring everybody home,” the protestors declared, referring to the tens of thousands of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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