Anti-War Groups Prepare for Post-Election Strategies to End U.S.-Iraq Occupation

Interview with Leslie Cagan, national coordinator of United of Peace and Justice, conducted by Scott Harris

In the months before the Bush administration launched their invasion of Iraq, a powerful international peace movement organized to oppose the impending war. During global protests Feb. 15, 2003 some 10 million people in more than 600 cities marched to oppose President Bush's "pre-emptive" war plan. The New York Times wrote at the time that George Bush had met the other "superpower": world opinion.

After the Iraq war began, organizers continued to mobilize opposition in the U.S. and around the world, putting pressure on the governments of Spain, Italy and Britain that had signed onto the war. During the Republican National convention held in New York City in August, an estimated half a million people marched to oppose the war and the Bush agenda.

Many in the peace movement believe that no matter who sits in the White House after the November election, the U.S. occupation of Iraq will continue to cause death and destruction, and may likely escalate through the deployment of thousands more American troops. The largest anti-war coalition in the United States is United for Peace and Justice. The group's national coordinator, Leslie Cagan has been in the forefront of peace and social justice organizing since the Vietnam War and had a leading role in organizing many of the nation's largest demonstrations. Between the Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Cagan about the role of the peace movement after the U.S. presidential election.

Contact United for Peace and Justice at (212) 868-5545 or visit their website at www.unitedforpeace.org

Related links:



Military Families Speak Out www.mfso.org

Iraq Veterans Against the War www.vaiw.org

Not In Our Name www.notinourname.org

International A.N.S.W.E.R. www.internationalanswer.org

Labor Against War www.uslaboragainstwar.org

September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows www.peacefultomorrows.org

Voices in the Wilderness www.vitw.org

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