Saturday "Out of Iraq" Rallies go Bi-Coastal

"I think there is a lot of sentiment inside the military that what we are doing isn't right," said the sergeant, who said he was 30 but asked not to be further identified. "Technically and legally we did sign up for this, and it's our responsibility to fill what our responsibilities are, but the people making the decisions also need to use us as a last resort."

By noon, more than 30,000 people had gathered near the Washington Monument, according to an estimate by Newsday. Organizers said about 100,000 people squeezed through city streets during the three-hour march. Police didn't report any arrests by early yesterday evening.

At the same time, 20,000 people gathered in San Francisco for similar demonstrations, according to organizers there.

In Washington, the sergeant, who could face deployment to Iraq, said he lives "two contradicting lives" by working in the military and participating in the demonstration. Despite his reservations about war, he said he needs his job in the military to pay the bills. "I probably wouldn't disagree with a person who calls me a hypocrite, but this war was wrong," he said.

Democratic presidential candidate the Rev. Al Sharpton told the crowds at the rally, "President Bush and Tony Blair don't make a world conference. Two men in a phone booth don't speak for the world. ... Bring our troops home now."

Later, the crowds cheered "Impeach Bush" while marching toward the White House and around the Justice Department.

The thousands of protesters clashed peacefully with about 50 people who had gathered along the march route to support President George W. Bush and military action in Iraq.

"War freed the slaves. War saved the Jews. Anti-war racists go home," yelled one woman with Free Republic, a group that supports Bush. The two groups chanted at each other for about two hours, separated by fences and police officers in helmets.

"We are pretty happy with the way things have been going" in Iraq, said Kristinn Taylor, who led the group from a small rally near the Capitol before the main march near the White House. He said his organization wants to show "that this is not going to be like Vietnam where we won the war on the battleground, but lost the propaganda war at home."

Cynthia Rivelli, 61, traveled from Washington Heights in Manhattan to protest America's presence in Iraq. "I'm hoping that this will help perk up Congress that there are still people out there outraged," she said.

Bill Perry, 56, from Pennsylvania, was one of about 150 Vietnam veterans and military family members who gathered in the cold late Friday night near the Vietnam Wall to protest the war. Perry, who fought in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, demonstrated against the war when he came home.

"I hate to see kids suffering," he said. "And I would hate to see more kids come home in wheelchairs and caskets. We need our troops home now."


Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.