NEW YORK: The Win Without War Coalition, one of the leading organisers of the burgeoning anti-war movement in the US, is organising a "Virtual March" on Washington on February 26th which could jam communications at the White House and US Senate.
A group of Hollywood anti-war activists held a press conference in Los Angeles yesterday to promote the event, co-ordinated by MoveOn.org, an anti-war website.
Activists across America will be asked to direct a steady stream of phone calls, emails and faxes to the White House and to Senate offices on Capitol Hill with the message "Don't Attack Iraq".
Several Hollywood actors appeared at yesterday's press conference to promote the "virtual march", including Janeane Garafalo, Martin Sheen and Anjelica Houston. "Inspections are working, war won't," said Ms Houston.
Film personalities also participated in a passionate, two-hour debate at Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday evening, which resulted in a 7-6 vote in favour of a resolution opposing war in Iraq without United Nations support, one vote short of the number needed for adoption. LA Council member Eric Garcetti proposed the resolution, arguing that war in Iraq was a local issue because it would cost the US government billions of dollars that could go to combat crime and low-performing schools.
"We ought to focus on sidewalks, not Saddam," said member Jack Weiss, to jeers from an overflow audience of 200, including actor Ed Asner and David Clennon.
Mr Clennon said the council had a responsibility to stand up to action "that will inevitably implicate our troops in war crimes." Over 60 city and state legislatures in the US have voted to oppose unilateral war with Iraq in an anti-war movement which has steadily gained momentum in recent weeks, culminating in big rallies in New York and San Francisco last weekend.
• France's UN Mission was flooded with electronic fan mail after Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin urged the Security Council to "give peace a chance" in Iraq, French officials said on Tuesday. Some 5,000 e-mails - overwhelmingly favourable and the vast majority from Americans - were logged on Friday. - (Reuters)