BY TAMAR ROSENFELD

NEW YORK CITY-The day Washington launched 27 cruise missiles into Iraqi territory, 200 people joined a picket line in Times Square to protest Washington's war actions.

Arshad Al Rasheed, who is of Kurdish origin and arrived here from Baghdad 25 years ago, marched because "The U.S. shouldn't get involved in the internal affairs of Iraq," he said. Al Rasheed was part of protests here in 1990-91, against the U.S. bombing and invasion of Iraq, which resulted in more than 150,000 deaths. He expressed outrage at the U.S. decision to extend the "no-fly zone." "Imagine," he gestured, "that New York City is the capital, and someone tells you no plane may fly past the river!"

Adel, from Jordan until recently, said, "I was in the Middle East in 1990, and was in the protests [against the U.S. assault on Iraq] there." He explained his view that "American intervention is the cause of the continuation of the suffering of the people of the Mideast. Whether it is Latin America or the Middle East, they claim to intervene in the name of democracy, but everywhere they intervene, it is worse."

The theme of opposition to U.S. intervention around the world was picked up by Antonio Maestre from Casa de las Américas. Addressing the crowd, Maestre said, "We are struggling to end the blockade of Cuba." He added, "the Cuban people are united against U.S. intervention and stand together with the people of Iraq."

Other speakers included Miguel Maldonado from the Association of Immigrant Workers, who was actively building the October 12 march for immigrant rights among the crowd.

A representative of the Hospital Employees and Restaurant Employees union spoke. Elizabeth Kealy from the Socialist Workers campaign condemned "the vicious attack on the Iraqi people's sovereignty." Representatives from the International Action Center, Workers World Party, and Spartacus Youth League also made statements. BY VED DOOKHUN

SAN FRANCISCO - On September 3, some 120 protesters gathered at the corner of Powell and Market streets in downtown San Francisco during rush hour, demanding an end to the bombings of Iraq. Among the demonstrators were many youth and workers from Iraq who displayed an Iraqi flag, and joined in the chants demanding "No new war against Iraq, stop the bombing now."

In his address to the rally Mohger, a young Iraqi, spoke of the unbearable conditions people face in Iraq as a result of the U.S.-led war in 1991, which he said has left 5.6 million Iraqi refugees. Expressing the sentiment of the protesters, he called on all present to object to the unilateral actions in Iraq by the U.S. forces. In a later interview, Mohger said that the "United States of America has to withdraw from the region and let the people there take care of their own problems."

The demonstration was called by the International Action Center and received coverage from local TV stations. BY ANDY BUCHANAN

BOSTON - Thirty people protested outside the Federal Building here September 4 demanding an end to the U.S. assault on Iraq. The action was initiated by the Socialist Workers Campaign and the Young Socialists in Boston. Activists from the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, the American Friends Service Committee, the July 26 Coalition that coordinates solidarity activity with Cuba, and others participated. Some participants, including a medical student from Tufts University, heard about the protest through the Internet and a peace hotline. Carol Thomas, a leader of the July 26 Coalition, recalled the principled stand the Cuban government took against the Gulf War. Andrew Buchanan, the Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, also spoke. The rally was covered by Channel 56 TV, the New England Cable News, and by student newspapers at University of Massachusetts Boston and Boston University.

Protests were also held in several cities around the world. In Britain, rallies were organized September 3 against London's backing of the U.S. bombings and a vigil was held outside the U.S. embassy in London that afternoon.

In Egypt, about 2,000 students marched September 3 in the southern city of Assiut, shouting slogans against U.S. imperialism.  
 
 
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