Two National Anti-War Demonstrations to be Held in the United States, April 9-10

Sara Flounders, Co-Director of the International Action Center, is a major organizer of the upcoming anti-war marches that will be held in New York and San Francisco on April 9-10 respectively. They are sponsored by the United National Anti-War Committee., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Americans to protest against US wars

Wed Apr 6, 2011 5:53PM

Co-Director of the International Action Center, Sara Flounders
People across America are plan to stage massive demonstrations in east coast city of New York and the west coast city of San Francisco to protest against US-led wars abroad.

"This Saturday, April 9, there is an important national demonstration in New York and on Sunday April 10 in San Francisco against US wars and occupation focusing on the tens of thousands of US troops today waging a brutal occupation in Iraq, in Afghanistan, now in Pakistan and opposing the new US war on Libya," said Sara Flounders, national co-director of New York-based International Action Center, in an interview with Press TV's US Desk on Tuesday.

"It's very important that a coalition of broad forces is coming together at a time of a new US war -- again described as a humanitarian war. But people here know that this is a new war for oil. A new war for control of resources this time in Africa and shows an expanding US influence," she added.

Flounders stressed that more social cuts are being implemented in the US as the country continues to engage in more wars with foreign nations.

“Cuts in children's nutrition programs, in senior centers, attacks on unions, increases in tuition, closing of schools, building of more prisons, all of this is closely linked to U.S. war policies where there is endless money for war and no money for people's needs right here,” Flounders said.

On March 19, the US joined the UK, France, Canada, and Belgium by launching air strikes against Libya under UN Security Council resolution 1973 that authorized "all necessary measures" to protect civilians. However, dozens of civilians have been killed in the North African country since the US-led forces launched aerial and sea attacks on its territory.

Moreover, the US has also deployed about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. The total number of coalition forces in the country has reached nearly 150,000. According to a UN report, about 2,800 civilians were killed by foreign forces and militants in Afghanistan last year.

Additionally, about 50,000 US troops are currently stationed in the war-torn Iraq. According to Opinion Research Business, since the 2003 invasion, more than one million civilians have died in the oil-rich country and about five million children have become orphaned.