Insurgents are continuing to mount attacks across Iraq, targeting oil pipelines, military installations and U.S. troops, along with American-trained Iraqi police and guardsmen. As of late February more that 1500 U.S. troops died. Ten times that number were wounded. Reports indicate more than 100,000 Iraqis have died since the invasion.

Chicago, IL - A noisy crowd of protesters, with banners demanding, “No to war and occupation,” marched here, Mar. 19. Over 3000 gathered in Federal Plaza at 2:00 p.m. to hear speeches by Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and a marine that refused orders to go to Iraq, among others. They were marking the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, kidnapped in Iraq, was shot at by U.S. soldiers on Mar. 4, right after her release. In a reaction, Sgrena said that her kidnappers had warned her that, “The Americans could intervene, for they don’t want you to return.” According to her husband, the attack was deliberate, because she knew too much.

Minneapolis, MN - On Saturday, Mar. 19 over 1500 people participated in a Minneapolis anti-war demonstration, under the call, “ U.S. troops…out now!”

Minneapolis, MN - More than 200 people demonstrated June 30 in downtown Minneapolis at the Hennepin County Government Center plaza, demanding that the U.S. government, “End the war in Iraq, end the occupation and bring the troops home now!” The event was sponsored by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition, an organization made up of Twin Cities area peace and justice groups.

Chicago, IL – A noisy crowd of protesters, with banners demanding, “No to war and occupation,” marched here, Mar. 19.

Minneapolis, MN - At the annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Pride festival here, there was a unique marriage of causes: The struggle against war in Iraq tied the knot with the struggle for civil rights for the GLBT community at home. In a creative act of solidarity, the Anti-War Committee marched under the banner, “I do say no to war!” and offered same-sex couples the chance to ‘Commit to Peace’ and each other, in a ceremony led by an ordained minister.

On June 30 hundreds gathered in Minneapolis to oppose the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

The U.S. Bolivarian Circles and the Colombia Action Network are organizing a joint contingent for the September 24th, 2005, March on Washington to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.  We will announce our rallying point at a later date, but we promise to be visible on the streets in front of the White House!

Washington, DC - 300,000 rallied and marched here, Sept. 24, to oppose the continuing U.S. war and occupation in Iraq, a turnout stunning even the organizers. In the largest anti-war protest in Washington D.C. since the Vietnam era, marchers at the White House chanted, “No blood for oil! U.S. out of Iraq!” Many took pictures of friends or family holding anti-war signs in front of the empty White House.

Minneapolis, MN -A two thousand-plus crowd of high school, college and even elementary school students gathered at the University of Minnesota student union, Nov. 2 to protest the war on Iraq and demand that military recruiters get out of their schools.

I wanted to share some really sad family news that we were just stricken with yesterday. My uncle Abdulrazaq (my father’s younger brother who is 50 years old) was in Iraq (in our home city of Samarra, Iraq) on Thursday January 5th, 2006 and at 8pm went to go meet with his business partners to finish financial exchanges and on his way back he was killed by American troops. Upon stealing the $10,000 that were in his coat pocket the troops that the Americans are so proud of and support, found that he did not have any weapons or explosives and then they dumped his body at the local hospital and walked away with his money.

Minneapolis, MN - More than 125 community and student activists attended A Conference for Iraq, Information to Resist Another Quagmire. The keynote address was given by Sami Rasouli, a long-time peace activist who has returned home to Iraq, to try to rebuild peace, in the face of U.S. occupation.

Asheville, NC - The chant, “U.S. out of Iraq! Let them have their country back!” echoed off the buildings of downtown Asheville as a spirited group of over 100 students, young people, workers and veterans marched through the city to say no to Bush’s war. The protesters chose to mark the three-year anniversary of the invasion by joining millions of others around the world to demand the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

To mark the third anniversary of the war, and now occupation, of Iraq, people around the globe marched, calling for U.S. troops to leave immediately. In Chicago, 10,000 protesters faced off against 1500 police in full riot gear during their evening march on Michigan Avenue on March 18. This was the first time in three years that organizers were able to get a permit to march on Michigan Avenue.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following announcement  from the Anti-war Committee for their press conference on Monday August 3:

Atlanta, GA - In one of the largest anti-war rallies in the South, upwards of 4000 protesters – students, Black civil rights activists, trade unionists and military veterans – marched in Atlanta, April 1, demanding, “Peace in Iraq, justice at home!”

For 20 years, Iraqi American Sami Rasouli lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as a peace activist and restaurant owner. He visited Iraq in 2004, and decided to move home and help rebuild his country. He sold his restaurant and returned to Najaf, where he founded the Muslim Peacemakers Team. Fight Back! interviewed him during his three-month U.S. speaking tour about the reality of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Sara Rich is an activist and a tireless advocate for her daughter, Army Specialist Suzanne Swift, who is awaiting a court-martial for refusing to return to Iraq under the command of a sergeant who raped her. Today Sara Rich travels around the U.S., speaking out against the war and military sexual violence. Fight Back! interviewed Sara Rich on Oct. 28.

Fight Back! News Service is circulating the following analysis of the trial of Saddam Hussein, written by author and anti-war activist David Hungerford. The article is a powerful indictment of U.S. attempts to justify its war on Iraq.