Protesters demand NATO's dissolution at Rage Against War Machine rally

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Feb 2023 09:12
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Thousands protest the US involvement in Ukraine and demand NATO's dissolution during the Rage Against War Machine rally in Washington D.C.

Protester holding an anti-war poster at the Rage Against the War Machine rally. February 19, 2023. (Sputnik)

Protesters against the war in Ukraine descended on Washington, DC on Sunday, demanding that the US stop sending weapons to Kiev, disband NATO, and join China and Russia in creating a multi-polar world, among other things.

A thousand people attended the Rage Against the War Machine rally, which included former State Department speakers, politicians, journalists, and activists. Former Senators Ron Paul (R-TX) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), as well as former Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), headlined the event, calling for anti-war unity.

“I know some people, who wouldn’t show up to this peace rally, this anti-war rally, because of some of the speakers they had lined up on stage,” Jimmy Dore, a comedian and popular podcast host said on stage.

“I get what they are saying ‘hey, I want to stop a nuclear war, but not with those people' […] The people who won’t be attending today never had any intention of doing so. If it wasn’t one of the speakers, it would have been the weather. It would have been because they have more important things to do than survive. They will be at home watching CNN not cover this all day.”

“We basically shifted from Afghanistan to Ukraine and it needs to be stopped. Too many people are dying,” Tara Reade, a former Senate aide, author, actress, and producer of The Kim Iversen Show told Sputnik at the rally. “The enemy is the military-industrial complex and a very corrupt regime, the Biden regime.”

Although official estimates of rally attendees have not yet been made public, it appeared that there were between 1,000 and 3,000 people there.

“I’m here for the cause of avoiding nuclear war,” one protester from the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania who held a "Drop Acid, Not Nukes" sign told Sputnik.

'Stop the war, negotiate peace'

The demonstration took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and participants marched to the White House to present President Biden with a list of ten demands, including a stop to funding for Ukraine, peace talks with Russia, and the dissolution of NATO.

Retired US Army colonel and former State Department official, Mary Ann Wright told Sputnik at the event that as a result of the US' wars, millions of people are either killed, wounded, their homes are destroyed, or are refugees, stressing that it is wrong and that the American people must pressure the membes of Congress to say "no more weapons, but negotiatie."

'US leads the world in making enemies'

Garland Nixon, a veteran radio and TV political analyst who hosts The Critical Hour on Radio Sputnik, and Sputnik correspondent Wyatt Reed both spoke at the event.

The military-industrial complex was the topic of the speakers. "Our nation used to lead the world in producing steel, cars, and ships," said Kucinich, the former mayor of Cleveland who was a vocal opponent of the Iraq war while in office.

“Now, we lead the world in making enemies, confusing defense with offense. Arming ourselves to the teeth, spending trillions of dollars to advance an aggressive empire through the promotion of war. But the wars, my dear friends, have come home.”

Last month, Former US President Donald Trump said on January 27 that he could have influenced a cessation of the war in Ukraine within 24 hours by negotiation if he were still president, adding that the war would not have happened if he were still in his position.

"If I were president, the Russia/Ukraine war would never have happened, but even now, if president, I would be able to negotiate an end to this horrible and rapidly escalating war within 24 hours," Trump said on the Truth Social platform.

Just a day earlier, Trump called out current US President Joe Biden's decision to transfer 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine because he believes it may instigate a reaction by Russia to deploy nuclear weapons - warning that it could lead to a World War III, stating on Truth Social: "FIRST COME THE TANKS, THEN COME THE NUKES. Get this crazy war ended, NOW. So easy to do!"