On February 15 the world resoundingly said "No" to war. There were especially massive protests in Europe, but they took place on every continent (yes, even Antarctica!). London's was the largest in that city's history. In this country, over a million people showed their opposition to invading Iraq at dozens of demonstrations, despite snow and bitter cold in many cities. And this time, the media noticed.

Commentators are even beginning to ask if war is possible in the face of such strong opposition. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw conceded on Monday that the scale of the antiwar demonstratons made it "very difficult" to launch an invasion of Iraq. [U.K. Mirror February 17, 2003]

We should rightly take heart from all this. But it would also be wise to plan for the realistic chance that the U.S. will proceed with an invasion anyway, and soon. Observers of the state of military deployment say signs continue to point to early March.

If it happens, those of us who oppose this war go into it occupying a large, legitimate political space. That space was created by our willingness, and that of millions of people like us, to speak up.

Opposition to war on Iraq has grown so large so fast for many reasons. One important factor has been the way in which most of us have expressed our opposition. We've emphasized shared values, attacked the policy and not the people promoting it, and acknowledged that the choices involved are difficult. This approach has made it much easier for us to be heard by people who haven't taken a strong position (and who probably still represent a majority of the U.S. public.)

Now, as full-out war approaches, it's more important than ever to keep our balance, and take a long view. Once tanks roll, positions harden. The temperature of discussion tends to rise. Many advocates of invasion have already begun to sound more shrill, in reaction to the worldwide outpouring of antiwar sentiment last weekend.

Let's not imitate them.

We're probably not going to convince those who strongly disagree with us in the next few weeks, if ever. But we can keep the lines of communication open with the much greater part of our community by holding fast to these ideas:

Patriotism. Love and concern for our country, and respect for the principles it represents, are what motivates us. Patriotism isn't the exclusive property of those who support war on Iraq. Or, as a sign at one of the weekend demonstrations put it, "Don't wrap your war in our flag."

Support for our troops. They are fellow Americans doing a job. We can oppose the policy without opposing the people who carry it out. In concrete ways, we can show support for their families, members of our community who have been making sacrifices, many for months now.

Support for each other. Diversity is a strength, not a weakness, if it's based on mutual respect.

There are many kinds of responses to war, each with a role to play. Recognizing that every tactic its has advantages and limitations makes it easier to do something, and that's the important thing. Rockbridge Response to War on Iraq is a network, a clearinghouse for multiple ways of responding, not an organization with a party line.

Supporters of Rockbridge Response also have differing thoughts on the goals and likely effects of this war. Some accept the administration's most often-stated rationales for invasion (disarmament, disruption of alleged links with Al Qaeda, freeing Iraqis from Saddam's dictatorship, creation of a democratic ally), while disagreeing about the likelihood that war will achieve them, or whether they are worth a war to achieve. Others see evidence of different goals (long-term U.S. military base in Iraq, control of oil reserves, reshaping of the entire region).

Support for each of these perspectives can be found in statements and documents by those who are shaping the adminisration's policy on Iraq. But it's impossible for any of us to know for certain now; all we can do is keep our eyes and minds open as events play out. Which brings up a final idea:

Devotion to truth. Famous as "the first casualty of war" for good reasons... Let's do our best to demand full and honest information from our government, the press, and each other.

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Rockbridge Response to War on Iraq is a network of people in the Rockbridge County, Virginia area. Formed at a community meeting early in January 2003, we are active in many ways: letter writing, lobbying, vigils and demonstrations to prevent a war, as well as providing support to families of local servicemembers, humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians, and facilitating discussion and study groups. To find out more and get involved, call Nell Lancaster at 540-463-2394, or email nlancaster@rockbridge.net


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