Mass protest demands: Bring the troops home now!

Active-duty GIs, vets lead off D.C. march

By John Catalinotto
Washington, D.C.

Anti-war forces poured into the U.S. capital on Jan. 27. It was the first national anti-war action since the elections in November showed that a large majority of the people oppose the occupation of Iraq. Demonstrations were also held in other cities around the country.

Washington, D.C., Jan. 27. WW photo: G. Dunkel

The D.C. mobilization, which gave a new impulse to the growing movement to end the U.S. occupation, was among the largest held since January and February 2003, when hundreds of thousands marched in Washington, New York and San Francisco desperately hoping their actions would halt the looming U.S. invasion.

Galvanizing opposition today was Bush’s “surge” of 21,000 more troops to Iraq. More Iraqis were dying, more U.S. troops were getting shot out of their helicopters and more blood was being shed on the streets of Baghdad and Najaf even as the demonstrators made their way from the Mall to the Capitol.

Aware of all this, the crowd cheered loudly at any insult to Bush, Cheney or their cronies and any appeal to “Impeach Bush.” One hand-made sign said simply: “Bush, go surge yourself.”

The crowd scorned the Democratic Congress’s plan for a “symbolic resolution” to express disapproval of the war. Protesters showed they want Congress to stop all funds for the war and occupation, no ifs, ands and buts, and will focus during the coming months on the struggle in Congress over funding.

Anti-war forces poured into the U.S. capital. Photo: Roberto Mercado

The presence of many Iraq War veterans and active-duty GIs made it clear that this growing sector of the anti-war movement can play a big role in ending the occupation.

Most marchers came from the hundreds of community, local and state peace and anti-war organizations that mobilize under the umbrella of the national anti-war coalitions. A large number of the marchers had a sign or banner to hold. Some were hand-made, some were provided by the United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) coalition that initiated the protest, others by the other coalitions, national groups, unions, university student groups and community organizations on the march.

U.S. Labor Against the War. WW photo: G. Dunkel

Unions that mobilized included Hospital Workers SEIU Local 1199 and the Professional Staff Congress from New York, many locals of the Communication Workers (CWA), the United Federation of Teachers, District Council 37 and United Auto Workers and Teamsters from Detroit.

Slogans throughout the march indicated there was near unanimity about what the U.S. should do regarding Iraq: get out and bring the troops home. Active-duty troops, recent Iraq veterans, families of troops and veterans of prior U.S. wars held an honored place at the front of the march. They were even stronger with the demand to end the occupation now and bring the troops home.

Despite their anger at Bush and the continuing tale of horror from Iraq, the mood of the marchers was up, perhaps aided by the surprisingly warm weather after a day of arctic temperatures in the Northeast and Midwest. People told Workers World they were lifted by the size of the crowd and were encouraged to go on struggling against the war.

Iraq veterans, families, active-duty GIs

Families of GIs in Iraq and those who lost a child there, veterans of the Iraq War, relatives of resisters and current active-duty GIs crowded the stage, bringing a fresh breath of resistance to the movement.

Iraq War veterans and active-duty GIs. WW photo: G. Dunkel

Bob Watada, the father of resister Lt. Ehren Watada (www.thankyoult.org), spoke on behalf of his son. The young lieutenant is facing court-martial starting Feb. 5 in Ft. Lewis, Wash., following his refusal to ship out to Iraq. Lt. Watada, a zealous officer, says he had read up on Iraq in order to lead his troops properly, and in his reading discovered that the Bush administration had promoted the war with a pack of lies.

A new lift to the movement came from Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto and Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, the active-duty organizers of the “Appeal for Redress.” This anti-war statement had been signed by over 1,200 active-duty GIs, National Guard and reservists as of Jan. 29. (www.appealforredress.org)

Hutto led the crowd, chanting “No justice! No war! More death, no peace! More imperialism, no peace!” and said, “We come here today on behalf of 1,223 active-duty members of the United States military, reserve members, National Guard members who are using their constitutional rights to speak out against this war, an imperialist war, a war for profit, not for people, a war for death, not for people, a war against the working class, not for justice.”

Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto and Marine Sgt. Liam Madden. WW photo: John Catalinotto

Madden pointed out that “women didn’t win the right to vote by voting and African Americans didn’t win civil rights by voting.” He went on to urge the people to stay in the streets. The contribution of the active-duty GIs was a shot in the arm to the march.

Celebrities, elected officials

Actor Jane Fonda, the leading celebrity activist during the Vietnam War, especially in the movement supporting GI resistance, rejoined the anti-war struggle after a 34-year absence from protests. She had been attacked mercilessly by the rightwing since that time. She told the audience she had not wanted to add notoriety to the movement, but that now, “Silence is no longer an option.”

Actors Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon spoke, with Sarandon standing up for the veterans abandoned by the Bush administration after they’ve finished their tour in Iraq.

A small number of Democratic Party representatives in the House spoke or showed their faces, most demanding that their party’s protest go beyond the “symbolic.” Rep. John Conyers (Mich.) was there, also Jerry Nadler (N.Y.), who introduced a bill cutting off funding except to bring the troops home. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) came out against any funding for the war.

Rep. Maxine Waters (Calif.) raked Bush and Dick Cheney over the coals: “[Bush] says he is the decider. He’s not. He’s the liar.”

While the organizers gave no central focus to the growing danger of a U.S. military attack on Iran, one contingent of marchers raised this important issue. Ardeshir Ommani of the Iranian-American Friendship Committee told Workers World that by threatening Iranian nationals in Iraq, “George Bush’s intention is to provoke the Iranian government and people with the intent of expanding the war from Iraq to Iran. I was shocked to see the president say on television that ‘we are going to kill the nationals of another country.’”

What next?

Many participants said they saw this demonstration as the beginning of a struggle, not the end of it. The Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC), while leading chants from the side of the march, was distributing leaflets calling for two further actions this winter.

On Feb. 17 it plans nationally coordinated local actions aimed mainly at senators and representatives to demand they refuse to fund the war, and to turn the money instead toward social services.

On March 17 TONC is building for the March on the Pentagon, called also by the ANSWER coalition, but will continue to raise demands that Congress refuse to fund the war, possibly supported by direct action at the Capitol.

TONC spokesperson Larry Holmes told Workers World, “We are encouraged by the turnout today, which we see as a terrific beginning to launch a campaign to involve the African American, Latin@ and all the immigrant communities and all workers in a struggle to take the $130 billion earmarked for a war of oppression and use it to provide social services for the population at home.”

E-mail: jcat@workers.org

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