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 My
previous article was on the Egyptians’ views on
the future “war on Iraq”. Now I am continuing
this series, about the war America is trying to start
with Iraq, with an article about the Anti- War movements
here in America.
On
Saturday, the 15th of February, New Yorkers, as well
as many people from other states, came to join in the
biggest protest since Vietnam. Protesters  marched
from almost every direction towards the United Nations
building on 49th and 1st, however the police blocked
1st avenue so people protested on 2nd avenue and 3rd
avenue, stretching as far as ten blocks. Organizers
claimed that a couple 100,000 people came while the
Police Commissioner estimated that there were only 100,000
protesters.
Lots
of people came prepared with some great posters that looked
like they took lots of time to create. A couple said, “War
is expensive, peace is cheap”. There were many that
said, “The world says no to war”. This poster
came in many languages. Another poster said, “Drop
Bush, not Bombs”. “U.S. foreign policy is terrorism”.
“Estimated dead and wounded in Iraq war 500,000 Iraqis,
does Emperor Bush care?”  Many
of the posters were about peace as well as critical interpretations
of the Bush administration. The posters came in English,
Arabic, Hebrew, and even Spanish, like many of the chants
and songs that were being sung while many marched the streets.
“What do we want? Peace. When do we want it? Now.”
Many different groups sang this chant throughout the protest.
Many were also saying, “Whose streets are these? Our
streets.” This chant was sung against the cops forcing
them to move to the sidewalks.
The people who came were from many ethnic and religious
groups. Everyone had their own personal reasons as to why
they came, and why they are against the future “war
on Iraq”. Alex Shirreffs who is 23 and formerly worked
in the Peace Corps said it was her first time coming to
a protest. She came because she felt that the world was
strong enough to say no to the Bush administration’s
urge to start a war. She continued to say that there was
no need for war now because there are not enough nations
backing Bush’s plan for a war against Iraq.  Bush
should wait until there is a more united front. Ms. Shirreffs
claimed that most Americans are in fact against the “war
on Iraq”, and those who are for the war believe that
it should wait until there are more nations willing to fight
Iraq. A second person we talked with was Michael Hill who
is fifty years old and works as a musician playing the guitar.
This protest was his first since the Vietnam War and the
Black Panther Movement, which he went to when he was in
his teenage years to his college years. The reason he came
to this protest was because he felt that this was a crucial
time and there is a need for the people to voice their opposing
feelings and speak up for peace. He continued to say that
since he is a traveling musician he notices that most Americans
are quite nice and are against the future “war”,
however there are many who are misinformed by the media.
 The
media does not question the government so whatever the government
says the media repeats. Aside from Bush’s ignorance
Mr. Hill believes that Bush wants to get into this “war”
because of geopolitics, oil, money, and basically power.
Since trying to catch Usama bin Laden did not work now Saddam
Hussein is the new enemy number one. When Mr. Hill was asked
if had a message to give he said, "war is not the answer,
it is never really the answer, and it is definitely not
the answer now". He believes that if enough people
protest the future “war” Bush and his administration
will have to listen to the people. The Vietnam war continued
until there was just so many people protesting that the
government had to listen to the people.
 Many
people believe that there just isn’t any real reason
for America to rush itself into a war against a country
that doesn’t seem as though it is posing as an immediate
threat. Some believe that instead of spending most of our
taxes on the military, which will only help the economy
short term, we should be investing it into the education
system and jobs to help the economy increase over a long
term. Some feel that the main reason Bush and his administration
are trying to start a war is because they want to go after
a country with the second largest oil fields in the world.
However, many believe that it cannot only be over oil, because
no country would spend so much money and lose so many citizens
in a war solely about oil.
This
anti war movement is not only among American citizens.
This feeling has spread to over 350 cities worldwide,
with millions joining to say no to the Bush administration’s
urge to enter into a war against the country of Iraq.
Now it is the world that is backing one another, a multilateral
 approach
to tell Bush and his administration that going to war
with Iraq is not the best option. Whatever may be the
underlying reason as to why Bush and his administration
are so eager to have a war against Iraq, the people
of the world know best to tell them that there is no
reason to go to war.
President
Bush claims that he is still looking for a peaceful
way to end this “conflict” with Iraq. He
continues to say that war is a last approach. However,
we, as the intelligent people of the world, know that
this man is not fully telling his people and the rest
of the world the truth. How do we know this? Well, almost
everyday we listen in on the news to hear that President
Bush has ordered more U.S. troops to the American bases
in Kuwait, sent more battle ships to the Arabian Sea,
and is trying to use the Turkish bases for more U.S.
troops to come. Not only do we hear about the numbers
of military entering the Middle East, we also hear President
Bush’s continuous speeches, using a more militaristic
tone, of how important it is to go into Iraq and end
the “threat” it is creating.
 As
we saw on Saturday, and in the past, we the people are
able to show our opinions and our feelings as to what
is going in current events. We do not have to sit back
and let the “leader” do all of the talking
and the action. We must stand up again and again to
let him know how we feel and that if something is happening
that we do not like, our voices will be heard. It is
time for President Bush to know that we the people do
not want America to enter itself in a war with no real
reason. He should take a step back and look at what
he is getting himself and his country into
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