Why have the anti war demonstrations come to a shuddering halt?

Because the war can be ended at any time, while we only have one chance to enact health care reform.

Any Republican/conservative who feels that somebody should be demonstrating against the war is a hypocrite not to be doing it himself. ∠°)

Actually they have not gone away check Moveon.org.

There is a huge difference between the prosecution of a war against

Iraq or Afghanistan.

Iraq had essentially done nothing to promote itself as a target regardless of the WMD bull crap.

Afghanistan on the other hand was well financed by and supported AlQuaida. With The Taliban controlling the government there and supporting the parties responsible for 9/11 they became a legitimate target for retaliation from the US military.

Iraq, an expensive, immoral incursion into a nation who did nothing aggressive. Therefore PROTEST.

Afghanistan, a nation which should have felt the total focus of US response.

The problem today is that we do need to remove ourselves from Iraq and do the job which the Bush Administration was unable to. Bring the perpetrators of 9/11 to justice.

The reason there are not so many protests is because many of us believe that we are on the correct track in doing this albeit 8 years too late.

I am against war in general but immoral war in the pursuit of oil in particular. I can quell my own protest if I can justify the action against

an aggressor and have.

I also am in total agreement that this action in Afghanistan should have been taken care of long ago.

I have no illusion that Karzai is anything more than a pawn of the Bush administration in their attempt to control the region oil and transportation.

I find it ironic that many of the weapons which are being used against us now were supplied to the Muja Hadeen ( sorry I don't spell arabic very well) to fight the Soviets.

Our best solution, clean out the militants who present the problem to stability in the world and come home.

BTW- I quit protesting in 1974. Since then I send my protests to my elected representitives in written form. Based on the replies I think my written protests are heard if not heeded. I do not think that walking on a curb with a sign does much any more.

Because the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan/troop numbers in the middle east ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

Most people weren't anti war in general. They were against the Iraq war in particular and it's winding down.

Sure the U.S will maintain a presence there, just as they do in Japan and Germany. But they are no longer in charge of security there and they have a heck of a smaller presence than before.

The Iraq war was very costly in dollar terms and in terms of American and Iraqi citizens lives lost. It was justified mainly on a baseless WMD claim (humanitarian grounds? Since when has America ever fought a war on humanitarian grounds? How many humanitarian crisis do America ignore. There's always another REAL reason when they do act. That's a bull answer and everyone should know it).

Now we see Iraq is still full of problems, still has violence, and we see even with this regime put in place, they are doing things like mass killings of gay people etc. Was the huge cost worth it?

Saddam was never a major threat he had a thrid world army. He had no wmds. There were many more threatening countries around at the time.

Afghanistan on the other hand, was justified as they were actually harbouring Bin Laden and wouldn't give him up after 9/11. The Taliban are a horrible regime and if America's efforts had stayed with Afghanistan i the first place, it might not have deteriorated into the mess it is now.

That's why people are not protesting now. They were NEVER protesting war in general. That was always a bull assumption from some dim witted right wingers who simplify the left and can't distinguish between conflicts. AND IT IS NOT THE SAME SITUATION.

G'day miss. It's a good question. I don't have a good answer. Bush started this war, and not only did he dump this nasty Middle East business on Obama's shoulders, he also saddled the USA with trillions of dollars of debt. What's Obama gonna do? After all those resources, captial, and human lives that have been invested towards the United States' Middle East interests, Obama is not going to be able to say, ok, game's over, let's all go home. Now right now. That would be suicide and would not do this country a bit of good. I believe Obama and Bush are polar opposites, and in fact, our current president is getting increasing flak about not being enough of a "deciderer." It's such a no-win situation for our president, all I can do is keep my eye on the country's financial health and hope it recovers, and to hope that, thanks to President Obama, we will see peace during his administration. It may take more than four years, hopefully he will be re-elected. But that's a ways down the road and I may not feel that way in 3 years' time.

I know you were being sarcastic about the "evil Taliban" and their Puritan drive to stamp out drugs, sex, music and laughter. I think your sarcasm is misplaced. From what I know of these nutjobs, they really are evil, horrible people. You as a woman should particularly revile such pustulent excuses for bipeds. I would not shed a tear if the entire belief system of the Taliban and any other hardline Muslim psycho pricks was marginalized into non-existence, by whatever means. I've been protesting war and violence since the Nixon era, which did me absolutely no good since I was drafted against my will for Vietnam and my only options were either going to jail or going to Canada, none of which was acceptable. I hate war. I believe Obama does too. I believe he will do the right thing. If I'm mistaken about Obama, believe me, there are plenty of people that would like to see him bounced out of the White House in a New York minute.

Afghanistan will hold Afghanistan. Let's hope some common sense and decency, and yes, modern thought, will rub off on their leadership. We set a poor example, benighted as this country is in its own brand of superstitious delusion. In this regard, nobody's right if everybody's wrong.

Had a girl, she still so young for do that but when she grow up and If she prefer join the anti-war demonstration I'll understand & support her. I'm a vet and If she prefer join a protest against WAR ( not troops ) I'll follow her steps and I'll yell with her. If she prefer join a protest against troops, I feel sad but I can accept her decision. Why? Because I'm a father and I was join the army for protect the my nations interest and democracy .. this is the very democracy. U like it or not.

He is pulling the troops out of iraq. He promised he would increase troop level in afghanistan. The concern has shifted from getting bin laden to keeping the taliban out of power . One concern is also keeping the taliban out of power in Pakistan as well. Pakistan is a nuclear power.

I am bothered by the opium trade in afghanistan. Funny how bush family involvement seems to be correlated to drug trade. Southeast asia as bush sr became an envoy to asia, central america as bush sr set up the iran contra business and of course Afghanistan with junior.

I am conflicted about the issue of collateral damage. I saw first hand how things like that cause problems 40 years ago, yet with a son serving I want every weapon available used to keep our troops safe.

Bottom line is I want us to find to a way to keep afghanistan and pakistan stable. I'd prefer that any fighting required did not involve my family.

As far as I know, Bush lied us into war by using fear-mongering and Obama doesn't know himself what to do so he's listening to the generals. I know he wants to end the Afghanistan war but who knows how long that would take and he started to 'test' Iraqi forces by withdrawing from there but the terrorists are taking advantage and causing more trouble.

I'm not fond of war...I see it more as a struggle between 'powers-that-be' that use whoever they can to do the fighting for them.

One of the things I don't like about nature is that death is necessary.

However, I'm a devout believer that torture IS NOT.

Easy. Because THEIR GUY is in the White House. I am ashamed that Liberals could claim to be 'anti-war'. Where did all the anti-War protesters go?

http://socialistworker.org/2009/06/22/not-so-antiw...

What once Democrats could argue was "Bush's war," they now officially own. In fact, only five Republicans voted for the supplemental (though overwhelmingly not on the issue of the war funding). Ron Paul, who made clear he was voting against the war, was a notable exception.

http://www.marxist.com/obama-middle-east-policy-im...

Liberals are lying about leaving Iraq, the US is establishing a permanent military base there.

Obama is being forced by the objective conditions to change the specific approach of US imperialism without changing the general course whatsoever. For the time being, his strength lies in presenting the current objective weakness as a “change in policy,” while at the same time, not altering any policy in any meaningful way.

It has now been six years since the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. Despite the “withdrawal” of US troops from Iraq’s major cities in late June, the occupation nevertheless continues. Although Republicans fumed and fussed about Obama’s plan for Iraq, painting him as willing to “cut and run” and all the rest, Obama is keeping the political and military position of the US in the Mid-East much the same. He has simply had to tactically retreat, in order to attempt to regain some ground lost in recent years.

Although the Iraqi government is now formally in charge, the US is still maintaining a longer-term military presence of as many as 50,000 troops. General Petraeus, in early May, announced that, “[W]e’re going to have ten Army and Marine units deployed for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The global crisis of capitalism is having a profound impact around the world. There is not a single stable regime in the entire Middle East, from Israel to Egypt, Jordan to Iran. Sharp changes in the balance of world forces are on the agenda. The task for Marxists is to be prepared, rather than caught off-guard by events. The recent developments in Iran are an example. We must also keep our eyes on countries like Egypt and Morocco.

Obama and his administration are doing their best to ensure the continuation of the present system. Ultimately, it is the task of the US working class to put an end to capitalism at home and imperialism abroad. This is not just a nice slogan or “good idea,” but in a very real sense, the only way forward for humanity. The “policy change” that we really need is a change in class rule. The capitalist class is no longer fit to rule humanity; it’s therefore high time the working class majority ran the show. For an end to the rule of the big banks and the imperialist carving up the world! For a Socialist Federation of the Middle East and the World!

We are suppose to be in a draw down in Iraq. While adding troops in Afghan to find Bin Laden and Taliban. That is what is suppose to be happening.

IF . . .

Reagan had spent a couple of million on Rebuilding the schools and hospitals destroyed in the Afghan's 1980's Victory over the USSR. We would NOT be in this mess today.

But the Rich having Compassion for the poorest among us is a Oxymoron.

"As you treat the Least among you, So you treat me!" (Jesus)

We were protesting the Iraq war, which Bush finally agreed to a time-table for, which Obama is abiding by. It's winding down. Once that agreement was made, there was no longer need to protest.

The other was was ALSO started by Bush. Obama hasn't started any wars. Instead of following the Bush policy to let the Taliban take over again, Obama is fulfilling his promises to prevent that, and put Afghanistan on the road to being a secure stable democracy.

Although I opposed our going in, I don't think it's wise to leave Afghani's to the Taliban, or as a failed state.

Most of them weren't really Opposed at all. It was mostly political. You'll notice former defenders of the war now against it as well.

Sadly, those who actually have always been against BOTH wars are lumped together with those who acted like they were.