While Sat at some traffic lights near my sisters house, a woman was handing out leaflets to everyone waiting who were sat in their cars, the leaflets looked something like this;
Peace and liberation!
Free the hostages!
Free the Iraqi people!
Stop firing!
Stop bombing Iraqi towns!
No to the occupation! Troops out of Iraq now!
We were against the war before it started. We opposed it while it was happening. We are against the occupation. Why?
Why do most Iraqis want us out? Because we have wrecked the country, we haven't put it back together and we can't deliver peace. We are not wanted!
Are our troops an occupying force? Yes! They are there to help the US. American forces are there to protect Iraqi oil for American profit and increase US strategic control in the Middle East and central Asia.
Is our government responsible for starting the war? Yes! They got us into the mess we are in.
Who is paying? You are! British taxpayers are forking out millions of pounds a day. For nothing!
Why are soldiers, civilians and aid workers being killed and held hostage? Because it's a war, and one for which we are responsible. 26 million Iraqis are suffering from sanctions, war and nuclear fallout from depleted uranium shells. Their country has been destroyed. Bombs are falling on them as you read this. They are dying in their thousands. Over a million and a half have already died because of us.
Is the war legal? No! 'This war is illegal!' says Kofi Annan, General Secretary of the UN. Our troops were sent against the will of the UN, in defiance of international law.
This was the general information of the leaflet. Along with an e-mail address I can't get to work. Now the people that handed these out are a small group, that each week on a Friday go to the same place, and stand for two hours in protest. They have done this since the war started. At first I thought they were idealist and stupid. However, every week, no matter what, rain, wind snow, they have been there, with their banners. I respect that. I don't agree with everything they say, and do, but good for them for standing up for what they believe in, and dedicating their time to it so much. They mean well, and that's the main thing.