“Anti-war protests attract thousands: Demonstrations in US and overseas” by Marcus Wohlsen tells the reader about one of the most critical issues during the last ten years – attitude of the US people to the War in Iraq. Despite the fact that this very article was actually written in 2007 and all the actions described in it relate to that very period, the call of the article still remains very important: the author shows people’s indignation and negative attitude to the War in Iraq, which has already taken thousands of lives.
Actually, the issue raised in the article is more than important, as it is common knowledge that the majority of Americans have never supported the war, declared by George W. Bush. In his article Marcus Wohlsen is trying to show that despite the fact that all the people are originally different, they have different views and understanding of what is right or wrong, such action as anti-war protest unites each and everyone. Undoubtedly, when it comes to loss of our compatriots, sons, fathers and friends, people cannot be calm and take the war for granted. According to the article around 3.200 US troops had been killed, let alone more up-to-date figures. The author of the article is actually protesting along with the protestors, expressing his indignation in the article.
From my point of view, the war which happened in Iraq is not worth a single hair of a single person, who died on the strange land. Moreover, I do understand Iraqis, who are also against the war, as for them this war is similar to a ‘stranger’, who enters their house and starts a fight. They cannot and do not want to understand, why this ‘stranger’ wants to change their house, wants to rule in it, determining its laws and orders. I do understand and condole with the families, both American and Iraqi, which lost their relatives because of the war.
I am happy and grateful that this war did not touch my family; however, it did touch families of my friends and neighbors, and I have seen enough grief and sorrow, hatred and pain, caused by someone’s mistake. There can be no winner or loser in any war, as each and every war brings death, losses, grief and pain. If at least one person dies because of someone’s mistake, ambition or simply fear, the war can be declared lost, as it did cause pain to even a single person and his family.
I am convinced that those people who were not afraid to stand up and speak up about the war, are real individuals, as they do have their point of view and they are ready to stand for it, irrespective of the way it is done – either going to the streets, or writing an article, or simply blogging. Fortunately, thanks to efforts of all the opponents, and these very protestors in particular, in February 2009 the newly elected President Barack Obama announced withdrawal of the troops from Iraq. According to the plans of government, all the troops will be taken out of the country this year. According to Barack Obama, the US mission in Iraq has finished, what has already brought happiness to hundreds of families.
Generally, the main call of the article is not only to draw people’s attention to the problem and tell them to protest, the author Marcus Wohlsen wanted to say that people, irrespective of their life concerns, should never stay indifferent to the future of their country, of their friends or even compatriots, as, unfortunately, nobody is secured, and grief can touch each and everyone.
Reference
Wohlsen, Marcus. “Anti-war protests attract thousands: Demonstrations in US and overseas.” Associated Press. Web. 19 Mar. 2007.
< http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/>
