Iraqis protest U.S. occupation

On Oct. 18 in Baghdad, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis protested the “Security Pact” signed by puppet Iraqi executive Jalal Talabani and the U.S. that would allow U.S. troops, now at 150,000, to remain in Iraq after 2008. The Shiite movement led by Moqtada al-Sadr called the protest, and Sunni Muslims from Falluja and large parts of the Christian community joined it, reported Reuters from Baghdad. The main slogans were “Occupiers out!” and “No, no, no [U.S.] America!” Whatever their disagreements, almost all Iraqis detest a continued U.S. occupation and demand that Iraq’s parliament reject the pact.

—John Catalinotto