For immediate release         January 25, 2018

Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group is co-sponsoring the Friday, March 16 Portland Peaceful Response Coalition (PPRC) Friday Rally with the theme "Iraq 15 Years Later: Forever War?." The rally begins at 5 PM at Pioneer Courthouse Square, SW Yamhill and Morrison, with a march around downtown beginning at about 5:20 PM. The US invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003. Even though most of the troops were withdrawn in 2011, they never left completely. Even with the US' war against the Islamic State (August 2014-present) being declared a victory with the devastating US/Iraqi military attack on Mosul, there are now over 5000 troops in Iraq as "advisors," drone and conventional aircraft bombings, and, with the world's largest embassy, an unending occupation.

Although March 2018 marks 15 years since the Iraq War began, one also can look at January 1991-- the start of "Gulf War Part 1"-- as the start of what has now been over 27 years of US hostilities in Iraq. Even though candidate Donald Trump condemned the 2003 decision to invade and attack Iraq, in 2017 President Trump told NBC: "We should've kept the oil when we got out"-- signalling his long-term intentions for US presence there. Join the rally to say "no more war-- bring all the troops home now!"

For more information information or to endorse or otherwise support this event contact Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group at 503-236-3065 or iraq@pjw.info ; PPRC's weekly rally has been ongoing since November, 2001 (,http://pprc-news.info/node/3>). Information for the March 16 event can be found at <http://www.pjw.info/iraq15yl.html>.