On Wednesday, March 12, the International Students for Social Equality in the US will be holding a public meeting at the University of Delaware to mark the fifth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Subsequent meetings will be held throughout the US in the months of March and April.

The invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003, began one of the bloodiest crimes of the modern era. Five years later, the war drags on, following the deaths of over one million Iraqis and over 4,000 in the US and other occupying forces. The US military recently announced plans to keep at least 140,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely. In the 2008 elections, the Democratic Party candidates are posturing as opponents of the war, when in reality both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are committed to the indefinite occupation of Iraq.

The war in Iraq is part of an explosion of American militarism that has its roots in the long-term economic decline of US capitalism. The American ruling class, whose interests are represented by both parties of big business, is determined to counteract this decline through the use of military force. The economic crisis of American capitalism has become manifest in the credit crisis originating in the housing market. The United States is now headed for recession, and there is a real possibility of financial meltdown and global depression.

In the midst of unending war and economic crisis, there is no expression within the political establishment of the interests of the vast majority of the American people. Bill Van Auken, Socialist Equality Party candidate for New York Senate in 2006 and regular writer for the World Socialist Web Site, will be speaking at this meeting, which is free and open to the public. The meeting details are:

Wednesday, March 12, 7 p.m.
Gore Hall 116
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware, USA