No support for Saddam

Editor: In a recent letter ("Re-examine peace walkers' motives," Bulletin, Nov. 22), Jack Chivo called the peace march in Vancouver on Nov. 17 "a rally supporting the butcher of Baghdad." This characterization is false. As a number of speakers at the event observed – including Riadh Muslih, editor of the local Arabic language newspaper Al Shorouq and himself an exiled Iraqi – rallying against war on Iraq and its people by no means indicates support for Saddam Hussein and his atrocious regime.

While sharply critical of U.S. President Bush's proposed war, Mr. Muslih concluded his statement at the rally with a pledge of support for the American people – a remark that was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Organizers estimated that more than 10,000 joined the march. More than 90 groups and high-profile individuals endorsed it, representing a broad spectrum of affiliations. They included, in addition to Dr. Chivo's partial selection, well-respected environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki, Physicians for Global Survival, the Canadian Peace Alliance, End the Arms Race, Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, many unions and labor organizations, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, a number of MPs, city councillors and other elected officials, the Vancouver Raging Grannies, the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) and Oxfam Canada. Interested readers should check the list for themselves at www.geocities.com/stopthewaroniraq.

We are proud to be counted among the many supporters of the march.

Stephen Aberle,
on behalf of Jews for a Just Peace