Bush, protesters observe anniversary of Iraq war
Sarah Hargrove
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On March 19, President Bush made a speech to diplomats from 84 countries recognizing the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. He referred to the invasion as the "day of delivery" for Iraq and spoke of the war as an international triumph for the forces of good.
In his speech, Bush cited incidents of terror in various countries and pointed to them as reasons to pursue the war in the Middle East. He called the fight a struggle "between civilization and terror, good and evil, freedom and slavery, and life and death."
Bush points to the fall of the Taliban and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan as evidence of success in the war on terror. With the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Bush says Iraq itself now stands as an example for surrounding countries of how life in a free country ought to be. He also suggests that the stabilization of Iraq will help in the greater battle to calm militant Muslims.
Furthermore, although there may still be "thugs and murderers" in Iraq (a problem which, Bush assures his audience, is being taken care of even now), at least they are no longer in positions of power. Bush continues to call for further action in Iraq and entreated the diplomats to present a united front.
One interesting omission by the president was any reference to the weapons of mass destruction that he focused on so much before the war.
Presumptive Democratic candidate John Kerry also marked the anniversary of the invasion. He denounced Bush for misleading the American public with claims of weapons in Iraq that never materialized. He also criticized the president for not making better efforts to form an international coalition, for failing to plan for post-combat occupation, and for underplaying the extreme cost of the war.
Kerry called on the president to be honest and open about the war and efforts to counter terrorism. Finally, he said that it is time to "finish the job in Iraq" and end the war. While he does not argue that the war has had no positive results, Kerry calls for peace as soon as possible.
Samuel Berger, former National Security Adviser for President Clinton who now advises Kerry on foreign policy said, "It is true that the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq have converged as the internal and external forces seek to drive us out, and they cannot be permitted to do that. But it's increasingly clear that how we conducted the war in Iraq -- hurried, alone, and not prepared for the day after -- made the terrorism problem more difficult."
In sharp contrast to Bush's speech, antiwar rallies were held around the world on Saturday, March 20. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered in London, Tokyo, New York, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia. Although the protests were not as large as last year's, they retained the same energetic and angry spirit. Despite President Bush's claims of a better life for the Iraqi people, thousands of Muslims gathered in Baghdad on Friday to protest U.S. occupation of their country.
After a year of war in Iraq, it is obvious that public opinion about the war is still deeply divided. Those in Bush's camp want to continue in the quest for ensuring freedom and security worldwide. Protesters question the true motives behind the war and argue for self-determination in the occupied countries.
In the United States, the war will probably be a central issue in the upcoming presidential election. Voters are left to answer the question: how far should this war on terror be taken?