Washington: As the US completes five years of its presence in Iraq, President Bush spoke from the Pentagon even as anti-war demonstrations took place in various parts of the country on Wednesday.
More than seven out of 10 Americans think the war is mainly responsible for their country’s economic troubles.
It is a war that should have never started — a message that was splashed across signs and T-shirts and shouted at marches and rallies.
But the focal point was clearly in Washington, where protesters swarmed the streets, blocked entrances to government buildings and even stopped traffic.
Protesters tried to drive home the point that war has cost nearly four thousand troops their lives and taxpayers roughly half a trillion dollars.
While the war has come at a high life and treasure cost, many argue it is necessary if the cost of a strategic victory for US enemies in Iraq is considered.
The President said he wouldn’t make any decisions on future troop levels until the top US Commander—Commander of Multinational Forces— in Iraq, General David Petraeus, testifies before Congress in April.
Petraeus says surge forces are drawing down with a significant reduction by July.
“We believe that we can carry that out without unduly jeopardising the gains that we and our Iraqi partners have fought so hard to achieve,” Petraeus says.
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