An anti-war protest today drew a small crowd to the building in Des Moines that houses offices for Iowa’s congressional delegation. Between 30 and 40 people marched in front of the federal building in Des Moines this (Monday) afternoon, banging pots, pans and anything else at hand. The noisy demonstration was billed as a “wakeup call” to Iowa’s congressional delegation, as October 7th is the anniversary of the day when the U-S began bombing in Afghanistan. Kathleen McQuillen with the American Friends Service Committee addressed the group.McQuillen said they’re making a plea for the lives of the Iraqi people, especially children, and also to plead for the well-being of US “children” who’ll go overseas to do the fighting, and pay a price in the future for what she calls this aggression. She addressed her remarks to the elected leaders, calling on congressmen and senators to represent the people, saying calls, letters and petitions against the “march to war” are pouring into government offices. Another speaker, Drake University history professor “Charlie” Carpenter, said she thinks attacking Iraq would result in the opposite of what the U-S wants. The professor said going to war with Iraq would increase the likelihood of Saddam Hussein using any weapons of mass destruction he may have, increase anti-American sentiment in the Arab world and among our allies, making attacks on America more likely, not less. Carpenter added the “real threat” is not from Iraq but from global terror networks, like Al-Qaida. The group planned to present Iowa’s congressional delegation with a declaration against a war on Iraq that they said was signed by over 200 clergy and lay people from around the state.
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