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Five years in Iraq: 'It's enough'

Posted March 19, 2008 11:00 pm

Brian Feldt

Karen Fulster is about ready to see her 25-year-old son-in-law embark on his fourth tour of duty in Iraq and she is sick of it.

He has a wife, kids and a life in the United States, all to be put on hold as he goes to fight a war he does not believe in, she said.

Fulster can only hope her granddaughter gets to see her father again.

"We were supposed to be (in Iraq) for six days, six weeks, six months," Fulster said Wednesday night. "It's now going on its sixth year. That is just not acceptable for a war that we were lied to about. I've already lost a cousin to the war about three years ago. It's enough."

Fulster was just one of about 75 people who gathered at University and Main streets in Peoria Wednesday night to protest the Iraq war.

Peoria was just one of the sites around the state where protests were held. In Springfield, protesters waved signs on downtown streets and an interfaith peace vigil was held at Laurel United Methodist Church. Rockford was the site of two peace vigils. In Chicago, thousands turned out downtown and at Soldier Field.

Wednesday marked the end of the fifth year the United States has been involved in the war. Those participating in the Peoria vigil held signs, lit candles and recounted stories written by veterans and members of military families affected by the war.

"We are protesting the war and various protesters have different reasons for being here," said Harry Elger of Peoria. "Some people feel that there have been illegalities in the war. Others disagree with the uranium weapons or the torture. Some are protesting the amount of money that we have spent on this war. Some are here because they are the family of a soldier."

Whatever the case, all were there to jointly protest a war that has killed thousands of soldiers since its beginning.

The vigil was mainly organized by MoveOn.org, a Web site where concerned citizens can find a political voice in a system dominated by big money and big media.

With the Iraq war entering its sixth year, MoveOn orchestrated hundreds of similar vigils and protests around the country Wednesday evening. The group hopes to gain the attention of political leaders to help end the war as soon as possible.

Fulster said she just wanted to provide a forum for those who have been too afraid or too busy to speak up.

"It is time that everybody's voices are heard," she said. "It's enough, we have too many issues at home. It is a really important event. Peoria needs a lot of help and I'm tired of it (help) being sent to Iraq along with some very innocent people."

Others attended to protest the war from another point of view.

Manoucher Ardalan, a Peoria resident originally from Iran, was on hand to protest what he called an unjustifiable war.

Ardalan, who moved to America in 1974, said he frequently visits his mother and other family in Iran and hopes the war can end as soon as possible for their and everyone else's safety.

"I show my opposition to the war and for the enhancement of life of people," he said. "This is a great country. But this war is the action of the government and not of the people. I think this war was created by the government and it is up to the people to stop it."

Brian Feldt can be reached at (309) 686-3194 or bfeldt@pjstar.com.

Illinois and the war

--A total of 143 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard men and women from Illinois have been killed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since the invasion of Iraq five years ago.

--More than 9,000 Illinois Army National Guard members and 3,700 Illinois Air National Guard personnel have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

--About 550 Illinois Army National Guard soldiers and 100 Air Guard personnel are currently deployed in Iraq.

--State Journal-Register

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