(Originally posted to Iraq at EraBlog on Mon, 17 Mar 2003 06:59:33 GMT)

MoveOn.org organized a rolling wave of can­dle­light vigils across the world today, held at 7pm local time on Sunday, March 16th. Emma and I joined three of our friends at the vigil at the Seattle Central Community College, at Broadway and Pike. I estimate that there were 300-400 people there, and probably thousands more at the other vigils in the Seattle area.

It looks certain that Bush will declare war on Iraq in the next day or two. I’m still against the war. I would very much like to see Saddam gone (the poor bloody Iraqis never deserved thirty-plus years of that thug’s misrule), but I don’t trust Bush to do it right. Look at how badly they’ve followed through in Afghanistan: the country has reverted to warlordism outside of Kabul.

Nor has he made a compelling case for going to war. Instead, he and the neocon hawks have managed to alienate the whole world. Eighteen months ago, after 9/11, the world reacted with horror, and made sincere gestures of friendship. Now, prac­ti­cal­ly everyone loathes and fears Bush.

I want the inevitable war to end as quickly as possible, with as little bloodshed as possible. But Mark LeVine at Alternet points out that ‘Bush Wins’ could be a nightmare scenario for the Left.

Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War are co­or­di­nat­ing further peace rallies in the Puget Sound area. (Tip for can­dle­light vigils: punch a hole through the bottom of a Dixie (translu­cent wax-paper) cup and push the candle through that; the cup will catch dripping wax and it will also protect the flame from the wind.)