Thousands in Europe protest Iraq war, but few in US (AFP)

[Up2Late]

(Is this true? Or are the really big protests scheduled for Sunday? Is the Chicago protest tomorrow?)

Thousands in Europe protest Iraq war, but few in US

19/03/2006 02h02

NEW YORK (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people in Europe and the Americas protested the war in Iraq on the eve of its third anniversary, with demonstrations in Europe drawing far greater crowds than those in the United States. Events in Washington, New York and Los Angeles drew approximately 1,000 people each, AFP reporters and police said.

At a rally near New York's Times Square, speaker after speaker denounced the Bush administration and US troops in Iraq. The group Troops Out Now called for immediate, complete, unconditional US military withdrawal.

"Public opinion is now overwhelmingly on our side as it becomes clearer every day that this occupation itself is the source of the violence in Iraq," said organizer Dustin Langley.

In Washington, a thousand protested outside Vice President Dick Cheney's home. "This racist war has to go," they chanted, some carrying signs reading "Bush step down", "Impeachment now" and "Hands off Iran". In Hollywood, 1,200 protested the war, police said. Among them were Paul Haggis, the Canadian director of "Crash", this year's Oscar winner for best picture, and actors Martin Sheen, Laura Dern and Maria Bello.

US President George W. Bush said Saturday that invading Iraq was "the right decision," and vowed to overcome violence there that has killed some 2,300 US soldiers and countless Iraqi civilians. "We will finish the mission," said Bush. "By defeating the terrorists in Iraq, we will bring greater security to our own country."

(more at link below)

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060319015709.etdsmpsu.html>