It has been four years since the U.S. hurled itself into the Iraq war. Since then, more than 3,200 U.S. troops have died.
The American public is growing impatient with President Bush's lingering ideals that the war can be won.
The anniversary marks a shift in American opinion since the war's beginning in March 2003, according to CBS News. Nearly three-fourths of U.S. citizens supported the war, according to Gallup polling. But AP-Ipsos polling in February revealed a changing opinion. Six in 10 people surveyed opposed the war — creating a serious struggle for the Bush administration and Republicans alike.
It seems that Bush has his own system of going about the war. The USS Abraham Lincoln bared a sign displaying "Mission Accomplished" on May 1, 2003. There, Bush announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq — clearly untrue nearly four years later. In the same speech aboard the ship, Bush stated, "In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." Again, a clear misstatement.
On Saturday, thousands of anti-war protests were held across the world. Washington, D.C., Spain, Greece and Turkey all were locations for the latest hopes to end the Iraq war.
The protests weren't met with immediate support. One protester in Washington, D.C., was engulfed in a crowd of counterdemonstrators who ripped her peace sign into shreds, according to The New York Times.
Although in the minority, counterprotesters rarely bring noteworthy pro-war points. Above all, they press their belief in supporting the troops, a trait which they think anti-war demonstrators lack.
Counterprotesters need a better platform for why troops should stay in Iraq. Their drained excuse of troop support is slowly growing invalid. Although supporting the troops is a noble reason, to truly support the troops would be rallying for their removal from Iraq.
Some believe that returning troops would receive the same public reaction as those of the Vietnam War. However, it's clear that the general opinion of returned soldiers has been positive and grateful — much different from the 1970s Vietnam outrage.
The whole world seems to be disapproving of the Iraq war. Britain, a U.S. ally in the war, has announced its withdrawal of around 1,600 troops in the coming months. Denmark announced its withdrawal of 460 troops, and Lithuania voiced its plans to remove a similar amount. And how does the U.S. respond? It chooses to send in 21,500 more troops.
It has been well-established that the Bush administration has its own agenda of the war. On this fourth anniversary of the Iraq war, get out there and show your opposition today.
