 Anti-Iraq
War Protestors Rally Across U.S.
Tue Dec 10, 1:09 PM ET
By Laura MacInnis
WASHINGTON (Reuters)Organizers said marches and rallies were planned
in about 100 towns and cities to coincide with International Human
Rights Day, although early signs were there would be no mass response.
Although polls show a majority of Americans support
military action against Iraq if it refuses to disarm, the
protesters said they believe their message is beginning to be
heard by President (George W.) Bush.
"I really think this anti-war movement has slowed down the
war machine. Now we've got to ramp it up. Public opinion is the
only buffer keeping us from going to war," said Medea Benjamin,
member of the Women's Peace Vigil at the Washington rally,
which started outside an army recruitment center.
 "I
know that to keep my family as safe as possible I have to try to
stop this war," said Benjamin, a mother of two whose a small group
has demonstrated daily outside the White House for weeks.
About 50 protesters huddled together in the cold, hopping
from foot to foot, chanting "This oil war has got to go."
Drivers honked in support in the rush-hour traffic. "Be a
patriot -- question the war monsters," said one poster.
In October, in the biggest U.S. anti-war demonstration so
far, coordinated protests in Washington and San Francisco drew
tens of thousands of people.
Tuesday's protests, planned across the country from North
Carolina to Alaska, were organized by a range of religious,
academic, business, human rights and women's groups.
Bush has said the United States is ready to go to war
against President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) unless he complies with tough
United Nations (news - web sites) demands to dismantle any programs he has to make
chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
Saddam denies having any such weapons and has agreed to
inspections by United Nations experts, now under way.
U.S. PROTESTS WEAKER THAN ABROAD
A Gallup poll in late November showed that 58 percent of
Americans favor sending U.S. troops to oust Saddam from the
oil-rich nation, although 64 percent said the United States
should get U.N. authorization for a fresh war.
Anti-Iraq war demonstrations in the United States have been
minor compared to those abroad. In cities such as Paris,
London, and Rome, hundreds of thousands of have demonstrated.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) told reporters Bush
welcomed peaceful protests, which he called "a time-honored
American tradition."
"The president agrees that violence is not the answer in
Iraq, and that's why he hopes Iraq will disarm," he said.
"It's cold out here, definitely, but I guess it shows
people we're serious about it by being here," said Sarah, 25, a
Washington demonstrator who asked to withhold her last name.
"We need to show people there are lots of Americans who
don't agree with this, even if you don't hear that message all
that often," she said.
|
