On Iraq anniversary, 300 rally in Phoenix against conflict

 by Daniel Newhauser
 published on Thursday, March 20, 2008

John Battaglia / THE STATE PRESS

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN: At dusk Wednesday evening, protesters stand outside of Sen. John McCain’s office in Phoenix to mourn the deaths of soldiers who’ve been killed fighting in the Iraq war.

A woman on the corner of 16th Street and Missouri Avenue yelled to Phoenix motorists, "Honk your horn, no more war" — and most obeyed — as protestors wielded signs reading, "Drop Bush, Not Bombs," "McCain's policies are Insane" and "Bush the Lying Turd."

On Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war, about 300 people rallied in front of Sen. John McCain's Phoenix office to protest the U.S. military's involvement.

Speakers including politicians, media personalities, activists and a pastor addressed an applauding crowd and called for an end to the war.

Mitch Rubin, spokesman for the End the War Coalition, the group responsible for organizing the rally, said the choice of location was deliberate.

"We're in an election season, and it's critical that we don't elect John McCain," he said.

Rubin added that he could not support McCain's stance on continued military action in Iraq.

According to McCain's official Web site, "A greater military commitment now is necessary if we are to achieve long-term success in Iraq."

Though McCain was in the Middle East on Wednesday, speakers directly addressed the Republican presidential candidate.

Warren Stewart, senior pastor at First Institutional Baptist Church of Phoenix, said the number of U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians who have been killed, the amount of money spent and the number of years that have passed since the start of the war have been "way too many, Sen. John McCain."

Groups in attendance ranged from peace organizations, like CodePink and the Phoenix Chapter of Veterans for Peace, to political groups, like the Progressive Democrats of America and supporters of former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

The demonstrators were predominantly middle-aged, but there were a few young protesters in attendance.

English junior Lindsay Evans said she has attended a protest every year since the start of the war.

"This is about our generation," she said.

Many young people, she added, do not realize the impact of the war because they are not directly affected by it.

"I thought there would be more students [at the protest]," she said. "There's too much apathy."

Deedra Abboud, executive director of the Muslim American Society of Arizona's Freedom Foundation, said, as a Muslim married to an Iraqi, she initially supported the war.

She said her husband "was hopeless that nothing would change unless Saddam [Hussein] was removed."

She said that after five years, the situation in Iraq has not improved.

"We have not made it better," she said.

After the protest, a candlelight vigil was held to commemorate the U.S. soldiers killed in the war.

Reach the reporter at: daniel.newhauser@asu.edu.