Communications director, local environmental nonprofit; Gulf War veteran

Group affiliations: Veterans for Peace, Veterans for Common Sense

Age: 34

Why are Gulf War veterans opposing this war?

"The war has never really ended for veterans or for Iraqis. There has been continuous bombing for the last decade. We are still fighting a low-intensity war that is causing suffering and creating foreign policy problems.

"We have concern for the current troops that will be deployed in Iraq. Mistakes were made the first time, and cover-ups took place at the Pentagon. Here we are, ready to go back to a battlefield that is very toxic. I am not convinced that the Pentagon has learned about the dangers of toxins and the associated health problems, medical care, and treatment that are results from the first Gulf War."

Dena Al-Adeeb

Antiwar organizer; Iraqi citizen

Group affiliations: Antiwar organizer, Women of Color Resource Center in Berkeley; Racial Justice 911: People of Color Against the War; Arab Women of Solidarity Association

Age: 28

What should U.S. policy in the region be?

Don't support Israel through funding or military intelligence. Remove military bases from the region via land, air, or sea. Don't create or support puppet regimes in the region. End the war against Iraq, both the sanctions and the bombing. End the war in Afghanistan. That would be a good start.

Jeff Grubler

Bartender; creative activist

Group affiliations: Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane; coordinator, National Network to End the War

Age: 34

What's an example of creative activism?

"Every night there are a lot of plastic bottles left in the bar. So I decided to recycle them and make my own drinking water called Sludge – Iraqi drinking water. The bottles were filled with murky water with bits floating inside. I did product promotions for the water on the street. I'd say, "Hi, would you like a free bottle of sludge?" People started laughing and looking for a camera.... I was able to start a conversation about how the U.S. bombed the Iraqi water supply, and they have been unable to rebuild it, and over one million people, mostly children, have died from treatable diseases like cholera and typhoid. If I tried to start talking to people about Iraq, immediately the subject is Saddam, and people don't want to discuss the issue. Iraq is far away and hard to relate to, but everyone can relate to clean drinking water."

Jerome Palencia

Filmmaker

Group affiliations: Filipinos for Global Justice Not War; Justice for Screeners Committee

Age: Not given

How has the Filipino community been affected by the war on terrorism?

"In the climate after Sept. 11, the Filipino community has faced the problems of the U.S. military involvement in the Philippines and airport screeners at SFO, Oakland, and San Jose airports losing their jobs. After Sept. 11, President Bush signed the Aviation and Transport Security Act, which says all airport screeners must be U.S. citizens. This has directly affected the Filipino community here. Many longtime airport screeners have lost their jobs because Bush thinks that workers are more loyal if they swear their allegiance to the American flag. Filipinos have been working as airport screeners since it paid $4.25 and had no benefits. The loss of jobs has taken away their security in an unjust act. In 1991 Filipinos were able to oust U.S. bases from the Philippines, and with the new war, bases are being occupied again. We don't deserve this. This is a result of the war on terrorism, and I question if the war on terrorism is positive for people in the community. The war on terrorism is not a war on the bad guys but a war on innocent people like airport screeners and people in the Philippines."