The U.S. war against Iraq began with the bombing of Baghdad on March 18, 2003. The war has now cost over $220 billion, the lives of thousands of Iraqis and more than 2,300 dead U.S. soldiers. Across the United States and around the world, (including in Baghdad and Basra, Iraq) anti-war protests are planned to mark the anniversary of the start of the war.

The local event is being organized by the March 18 Coalition, a group of peace, anti-war, student, faith-based and other organizations. The coalition supports four major demands:

Not one more death!
Not one more dollar! Act now for peace!
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Stop the U.S.War in Iraq!

Protesters will assemble at 1 p.m. at the library plaza & mall area near Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in Minneapolis. At 1:30 p.m., the march to the Basilica of St. Mary (17th & Hennepin Ave.) begins.

In the global call for anti-war activities, the three major national U.S. anti-war coalitions, United for Peace and Justice, the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition and the Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC) are working together toward one goal. They hope to bring together as many anti-war activists as possible to express their opposition to the continuing war in Iraq.

Among the groups helping to build the March 18 event in Minneapolis are Women Against Military Madness, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Anti-War Committee, Youth Against War and Racism, Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers and many others.

Public opinion is increasingly opposed to continued U.S. occupation of Iraq. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll in the United States found that 52 percent believe that the United States should begin withdrawing forces. According to the Washington Post, "The poll found that 56 percent also say the United States is not making significant progress toward restoring civil order in Iraq." Furthermore, 48 percent said the United States and its allies are failing to move ahead in "establishing a democratic government."

A poll of U.S. military personnel in Iraq, released on Feb. 28 by Le Moyne College/Zogby shows that a big majority of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq--72 percent--"think the U.S. should exit Iraq in the next 12 months." Of those, 29 percent said the U.S. should leave "immediately."

A statement from the Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC) explains why the anti-war movement is calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops, rather than a phased or delayed withdrawal: "The best way that the antiwar movement can mark the third anniversary of the criminal war and occupation of Iraq is to unite around the demand for an immediate, unconditional and complete withdrawal of all occupying troops from Iraq.

"Immediate--not in 10 years or in six months--as soon as it takes to put soldiers on planes and bring them home. Not waiting for the "Iraqi" army to be trained or for the establishment of a government subject to U.S. control, or for any other reasons that really only amount to one thing: an excuse to justify and extend the occupation.

“Complete - not in phases, not with bases left behind, not redeployment across the border, but a complete removal of all occupying forces from all Iraqi territory.

“Unconditional - The Iraqi people have an absolute right to govern themselves today, without any conditions imposed on them by Bush and Halliburton.

“The principal argument advanced against the immediate and complete withdrawal of all occupation troops is that the occupation must continue until Iraq is stabilized in order to establish democracy and prevent a civil war. The basic premise underlying this argument is the racist assumption that the people of Iraq are somehow inherently incapable of governing themselves, and require the paternal tutelage of the U.S. We believe that the Iraqi people have the ability and the absolute right to govern themselves, without the presence of any occupying forces.”

However, stabilizing Iraq was never an objective of the invasion. Ted Koppel’s op-ed in the Feb. 24 New York Times made this clear. Koppel explained that oil has been the driving force of U.S. policy in the Middle East for "more than a half-century," and was the motive for the CIA overthrow of Mohammed Mossadegh 53 years ago. He concluded, "The reason for America’s rapt attention to the security of the Persian Gulf is what is has always been. It’s about the oil."

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) recently released a statement on 10 Reasons Why the U.S. Must Leave Iraq. Reason number 4 is that "Iraqis want the United States to leave now."

The statement explains, "Recent polls reveal that Iraqi opinion coalesces on four demands: (1) an end to foreign occupation, (2) compensation to Iraqis for damages caused by the U.S. invasion, (3) release of Iraqi prisoners, and (4) establishment of political and military institutions independent of outside influences. A survey in Iraq commissioned by the British military in September 2005 found that 82 percent of Iraqis "strongly oppose" the continuing presence of coalition troops, and 45 percent feel attacks against coalition troops are justified. The battle for hearts and minds has been lost."||

For more information about the local protest in Minneapolis, contact Women Against Military Madness, 612-827-5364, Twin Cities Peace Campaign/Focus on Iraq, 612-522-1861, Veterans for Peace 612-821-9141 or Anti-War Committee, 612-379-3899.