Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 20, 2009

Protests, Questions Mark 6th Anniversary of Iraq Invasion
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=22FEFA6:A6F02AD83191E1600CA7F3078A4C81D60531BB26A5003E7B&
 
Some question whether recent security improvements will hold as US
troops begin to withdraw 
Iraq is marking the sixth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that
toppled Saddam Hussein, with some questioning whether recent security
improvements will hold as U.S. troops begin to withdraw. Followers of
radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold an anti-US demonstration
marking the 6th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq in Basra, 20 Mar
2009Supporters of the Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrated
against the continued presence of U.S. forces at a march in the Baghdad
district of Sadr City. Protesters burned an American flag as a senior
aide to the cleric Sheikh Haidar al-Jabari called for a larger rally on
April 9.Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told VOA Kurdish Service
that although there have been significant security gains in Iraq, there
are still problems that threaten the country's stability. He said he
hopes the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops will not reverse the recent
progress. President Barack Obama has called for U.S. combat troops to
withdraw from Iraq by August 2010, with 35,000 to 50,000 remaining until
the end of 2011 for support and training. Iraqi politicians held no
official ceremony as the war in the country entered its seventh year.
There were small protests against the war in Washington and New York
Thursday on the eve of the anniversary.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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