{{Anti-war topics}} {{mergefrom|Post-September 11 anti-war movement}} : ''This article is about the 2003_invasion_of_Iraq. For more information see Views_on_the_2003_invasion_of_Iraq.'' There has been a significant '''popular opposition to the 2003 Iraq War''' across the world. It is commonly regarded that this exceeded the Opposition_to_U.S._involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War in scale, even before military action began. Much of the opposition to the war was organised by anti-war coalitions and organised by people who had opposed the invasion of Afghanistan. The opposition to the war manifested itself most visibly in a series of Protests_against_the_invasion_of_Iraq, and the Iraq_war, which took place across the world between 2002 and 2005. ==Opposition in European countries== Image:Anti-war.jpg protests in France]] Around the 2003_invasion_of_Iraq and subsequent occupation of Iraq, opposition to military action against Iraq was widespread in Europe http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-02-14-eu-survey.htm. Some have speculated that European countries were against a war because of widespread "Anti-American" sentiment, though many anti-war activists would say they are against the American administration rather then America in general. This sentiment was fueled by the fact that many positions taken by the George_W._Bush administration on international issues (for example, American policies on Global_warming and environmental protection, on the International_Criminal_Court, on pre-emptive attack) went against European popular opinion.http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/viewMedia.php/prmTemplateID/8/prmID/933 The reasons commonly articulated for European opposition to the war included: a belief that the UN process (including Hans Blix's inspections) should be allowed to reach its natural conclusion, an aversion to America's neo-con bellicosity, a belief that the threat posed by Iraq was being exaggerated, a preference for multilateralism, a belief that war might just "serve as a recruiting sergeant for Al-Qaida", and fear of the "fog of war" i.e. the ''uncertain and unpredictable consequences'' of invading another country. Between 9/11 and late 2002 the enormous goodwill and support of the immediate 9/11 period was significantly eroded. Changes in the Republic_of_Ireland are an example of this. In the aftermath of the destruction of the World_Trade_Center, Ireland declared an unprecedented full national day of mourning for the victims. The reaction was two-fold: horror at the deaths but also a strong degree of sympathy for the United States, whom Ireland saw as a friend, particularly after US President Bill_Clinton's welcome interventions during the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement. By February 2003, the public reaction to the Bush administration actions over Iraq had changed America's image utterly. Instead of being seen in a positive light, the United States under Bush was seen as a 'bully' determined to war against Iraq, without the international community in the United_Nations, if necessary. Hence, an estimated 100,000 people took part in an anti-war march in Dublin (the organisers had expected 20,000) with demands being made that the United States be refused permission to use Shannon Airport as a stop over point when flying their soldiers from the United States to countries bordering Iraq. Image:AntiWarProtestLondon.jpg Such 'anti-Bush' and anti-war sentiments were reflected in many western European countries, generally with the populace less sympathetic to the U.S. stance even when politicians in a given country (e.g. the UK and Spain) aligned themselves with the U.S. position. The general populations of France and Germany were opposed to the war and it would have been difficult for their governments had they failed to reflect those sentiments in policy, which in most cases they seemed quite happy to do in any case. After the first UN resolution, The U.S. and the UK pushed for a second resolution which was required under Operational Paragraph 12 of Resolution 1441. The French government amongst others took the position that the UN inspection process should be allowed to be completed. Some observers, unimpressed with US claims that Iraq's secular government had any links to Al-Qaida, the terrorist group that allegedly attacked the U.S., expressed puzzlement that the U.S. would consider military action against Iraq and not against North_Korea, which had claimed it already had nuclear weapons and had announced that it was willing to contemplate war with the U.S. Many critics of the American War_on_Terror, including the UK's foreign intelligence services, did not believe that American actions would help to end terror, and believed that they would actually increase the ranks and capabilities of terrorist groups; some believed that during the war and immediate post-war period there would be a greatly increased risk that Weapons_of_mass_destruction would fall into the wrong hands (including Al-Qaida). America's presence in Middle-Eastern countries like Saudi_Arabia has been one source of discontent that has served as an excuse to Islamic fundamentalists to commit acts of violence. Even as the U.S. downscales its presence and existing bases (e.g. Saudi Arabia), it is not clear that the U.S. presence in Iraq will be anything but de-stabilising because many in the Muslim world resent the "infidel" presence in the Middle East, using this as a means of inciting the disenfranchised in their populations to violence. On the other hand, a stable democracy in Iraq could have a stabilising influence. Clearly, there was a gamble there, and only the post-war period will prove which viewpoint was correct. Perhaps the most commonly heard criticism, at least outside of the U.S., was that the Bush Administration's reason for going to war with Saddam was to gain control over Iraqi natural resources (i.e. Petroleum). Though few doubt that nuclear and WMD proliferation is a serious threat to stability and well-being, many felt that a war in Iraq would not aid in eliminating this threat and that the real reason was to secure control over the Iraqi oil fields (at a time when arguably links with Saudi Arabia were at risk). "No blood for oil" was a popular protest cry prior to the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003. == Religious opposition == On September_13, 2002, US Catholic bishops signed a letter to President Bush stating that any "pre-emptive, unilateral use of military force to overthrow the government of Iraq" cannot currently be justified. They came to this position by evaluating whether an attack against Iraq would satisfy the criteria for a Just_war, as defined by Catholic theology. http://www.catholicherald.com/cns/iraq-us.htm Their deliberations on the matter may be sealed in the Vatican and subject to diplomatic immunity, in the same manner as records documenting 50 years of child abuse. The Vatican also came out against war in Iraq. Archbishop Renato_Martino, a former U.N. envoy and current prefect of the Council for Justice and Peace, told reporters that war against Iraq was a "preventative" war and constituted a "war of aggression", and thus did not constitute a just war. The foreign minister, Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, expressed concerns that a war in Iraq would inflame anti-Christian feelings in the Islamic world. On February_8, 2003, Pope_John_Paul_II said "we should never resign ourselves, almost as if war is inevitable." http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID;=2193088 Both the outgoing Archbishop_of_Canterbury, George_Carey, and his successor, Rowan_Williams, spoke out against war with Iraq. The executive committee of World_Council_of_Churches, an organization joined by churches with a combined membership of between 350 million and 450 million Christians from over 100 countries,http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/who/index-e.html issued a statement in opposition to war with Iraq, stating that "War against Iraq would be immoral, unwise, and in breach of the principles of the United Nations Charter." http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/exco03-iraq.html == Protests against war on Iraq == Image:AntiWarProtestLondon2.jpg : ''Main article: Protests_against_the_Iraq_war'' Across the world popular opposition to the Iraq war lead to thousands of protests between 2002 and 2005, against the invasion of Iraq. They were held in many cities worldwide, often co-ordinated to occur simultaneously worldwide. After the simultaneous demonstrations, on February 15, 2003, the largest in total turnout, ''New_York_Times'' writer Patrick Tyler claimed that they showed that there were two superpowers on the planet: the United_States and World public opinion. The February_15, 2003, worldwide protests drew millions of people across the world. Its is generally estimated that over 3 million people marched in Rome, between one and two million in London, more than 600,000 in Madrid, 300,000 in Berlin, as well as in Damascus, Paris, New_York, Oslo, Stockholm, Brussels, Johannesburg, Montreal - more than 600 cities in all, worldwide. This demonstration was listed by the 2004 Guinness_Book_of_Records as the largest mass protest movement in history. ==Official Condemnation== The following countries have protested formally and officially to the conduct of this war. They do not support the Iraq War in principle, citing in some cases that it is illegal, and in others that Britain should have waited for a United_Nations mandate. * Russia * China * Pakistan * Morocco * Germany * France * Canada - see Canada_and_the_Iraq_War * New_Zealand ==Quotes== * When war, as in these days in Iraq, threatens the fate of humanity, it is ever more urgent to proclaim, with a strong and decisive voice, that only peace is the road to follow to construct a more just and united society. Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of man. - Pope_John_Paul_II http://www.cjd.org/paper/jp2war.html http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,80875,00.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2605367.stm * It is not too late to stop this war. We must march until there is a declaration of peace and reconciliation. - Reverend Jesse_Jackson http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/15/sprj.irq.protests.europe.quotes/ * To a certain extent Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions, such as the mobilization in a number of countries, of men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous. - French President, Jacques_Chirac http://www.atsnn.com/story/98381.html * If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace. Because what America is saying is that if you are afraid of a veto in the Security Council, you can go outside and take action and violate the sovereignty of other countries. That is the message they are sending to the world. That must be condemned in the strongest terms. - Nelson_Mandela http://www.ilaam.net/Opinions/USAThreat.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2251067.stm * CNN said that after the war, there is a plan to divide Iraq into three parts...regular, premium and unleaded. - Jay_Leno http://www.anvari.org/fun/World_Trade_Center/Iraqi_War_Late_Night_Shows_Quotes.html * A war is going on but the reason's undercover, the truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug, if you never know truth then you never know love. - Black_Eyed_Peas ''Where_is_the_Love? == See also == *2003_invasion_of_Iraq *Abu_Ghraib_torture_and_prisoner_abuse *American_government_position_on_invasion_of_Iraq *American_popular_opinion_on_invasion_of_Iraq *Anti-Americanism *Christian_anarchism *Civil_disobedience *Criticisms_of_the_War_on_Terrorism *Governments'_positions_pre-2003_invasion_of_Iraq *Guantanamo_Bay *Human_shield_action_to_Iraq *Nonviolence *Opposition_to_U.S._foreign_policy *Opposition_to_U.S._involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War *Pacifism *Post-September_11_anti-war_movement *Protests_against_the_Iraq_war *Tax_resistance *The_UN_Security_Council_and_the_Iraq_war *Views_on_the_2003_invasion_of_Iraq *War_on_Terrorism == External links == * ACT for the Earth * Toronto Coalition to Stop the War * Canadian Peace Alliance * Human Shields * Polls find Europeans oppose Iraq war * Iraq Antiwar Homepage on Nonviolence.org *Articles in Foreign Affairs magazine analysing the war and its aftermath by James Rubin and Madeline Albright: http://www.foreignaffairs.org/ * Anti-war train drivers refuse to move arms freight January 9, 2003, ''The_Guardian'' (UK). * About.com: Iraq War vote in 2002 - Complete Listing of 156 Congress Members Who Voted NAY * The Fight the Power Video, a large Macromedia_Flash file, size unspecified, with text and photos. The text is largely either quotations from those who advocated war (each followed by the word "FALSE"), or calls for opposition. Some of the pictures of dead and wounded are very graphic. Category:Stances_and_opinions_regarding_the_2003_Iraq_conflict Category:2003_Iraq_conflict Category:Pacifism