Nationwide peace vigil calls for end to war in Iraq

District 3 Senator Carole Migden joined protestors in downtown San Francisco yesterday
calling for an immediate end to the war in Iraq.
Photos by John Han

By John Han

August 29, 2007

Peace groups continued their efforts yesterday urging Congress to bring to an immediate end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Organized by Working Assets and MoveOn.org, San Francisco joined hundreds of cities across the nation in a call for action.

According to organizers, over six hundred vigils were held nationwide. The largest vigil, held in Kentucky, was attended by as many as one thousand demonstrators.

"We proudly, in 2003, opposed the war," said Working Assets President Michael Kieshnick at a rally in downtown San Francisco. "It's very sad that we have to be here in 2007 to mourn all those who have lost their lives."

"In September the White House is going to write a report and we already know what they're going to say. They're going to say that the surge is working, that the political situation is getting better and they want more time," Kieshnick said. He estimates 70 percent of Americans are now opposed to the war.

"In just a few weeks Congress is going to vote on whether or not to keep the troops [in Iraq]. We need to give them courage to bring the troops home," Kieshnick said.

Michael Kieshnick

To date, 3,732 U.S. service personnel have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, 28,308 have been wounded or maimed for life, as many as 655,000 Iraqis have been killed and more than 4 million have been displaced from their homes.

"More troops are dying everyday and will continue to die unless our members of Congress stand up this September and vote to end the war in Iraq," said MoveOn.org spokesperson Elena Rogan.

Elena Rogan

The California State Assembly on Monday passed a bill sponsored by Senator Don Perata (D-Oakland) that places an advisory measure on the February ballot. The measure calls for the "complete, safe, and orderly withdrawal" of troops from Iraq.

"California will lead the nation as other states follow suit so the people's voices will be heard," California Senator Carol Migden said.

Nancy Mancias of CodePink (left) directs a message to Speaker Nancy Pelosi
who refuses to speak with anti-war constituents and peace groups.

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