Wednesday, March 19th, 2008 marks the five-year anniversary of the beginning of the US war and occupation of Iraq. Events will be held all over the United States to observe and protest the ongoing war and its environmental, societal, and financial tolls. The Iraq war is the second longest in U.S. history. It has killed more than one million Iraqis and 4,000 U.S. troops. The cost of the war is now running at more than $400 million per day, nearly $5,000 per second.

ANSWER has called for a march and rally to begin at Civic Center Plaza at 5pm on the 19th. There will be direct actions throughout the day in downtown San Francisco. A Speak-Out to End the War will take place in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at 150 E. San Fernando St. in San Jose from 4pm to 6pm. A protest to demand Salvadoran troops out of Iraq will start at 12:00pm outside of the Salvadoran Consulate, next to the Federal Building in San Francisco. Protesters will commemorate and mourn the Iraq War at 7pm at the Town Clock in Santa Cruz. Indybay and DASW Radio 102.5 will be accepting live reports on Wednesday. Moveon.org has called for vigils to be held in cities and towns all over the country. United for Peace and Justice has called for demonstrations in Washington, DC, and throughout the country.

Events prior to March 19th: On Friday, March 14th, students held a Week Against War rally on the UC Santa Cruz campus at 3pm. Dance Brigade presented A Storm of Roses: Women Against the War on Friday night in San Francisco. On Saturday, March 15th, in Richmond, DASW led a direct action and rally at the Chevron Refinery. In Chico, a peace rally and puppet pageant took place on March 15th, focusing on "what we do want, as we already know what we don't want." In Walnut Creek, protesters held a Surge for Peace: Photos There was a rally in Palo Alto on Saturday: Photos There was a Rally in the Valley in Fresno that afternoon: Photos. The Big Peace March gathered in San Rafael at noon on Saturday. 10,000 protested in Los Angeles on March 15th. On the 19th, there will be a protest at the Hollywood military recruitment center on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and La Brea. Also on Saturday, there was a March Against the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War in San Diego. Protests at the Marine Recruiting Station in Berkeley are ongoing: 3/13| 3/14 | 3/19 A community gathering to celebrate resistance to war was held on Sunday, March 16th in MLK Park in Berkeley. Sean Penn and Cindy Sheehan were scheduled to speak at a peace vigil in SF on March 16th.

Direct Action to Stop the War on March 15th and 19th | UCSC Week Against War March 10th-14th | Anti-Authoritarian Call to Action on March 19th | People Power in Ohio Stopped A War In Iraq Ten Years Ago. That Same Power Can Get the US Out Of Iraq Now. by Bill Simpich | World Against War global listing of protests