The Bus Riders Union singing (see the video) | All Photos by Zach Behrens/LAist

Saturday's Anti-War March in Hollywood, organized by the ANSWER Coalition was amazing (their acronym stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism). Thousands walked down Hollywood Blvd, down Schrader, then onto Sunset, eventually ending in front of the CNN building.

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Wednesday, March 19 reflects the fifth anniversary of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. According to the ANSWER Coalition, over a million Iraqis have died, two million have beeen permanently displaced and 2.5 million are now refugees.

Nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands more have seriously wounded or disabled. Veterans are facing increased unemployment, high suicide and homicide rates, homelessness. In addition to lack of adequate training and gear, soldiers continue to experience insufficient medical care and serving.

The cost of war extends to U.S. civilians, the Coalition continues to explain. $425 million is spent a day on contracts while budgets for services here in the U.S. continue to be slashed.

"This war has been going on far too long"

Doctors for Peace said that five billion has been spent on the war and another five billion will be spent on care for soldiers. Just a quarter of one of those chunks of cash could insure all those not insured in the U.S. "It's not that we don't have the money, it's that we don't know how to spend it."

Protest chant: "Healthcare, not warfare!"

Why hasn't New Orleans been rebuilt yet? Why are teachers losing their jobs, a speaker asked on stage.

Another chant heard: "Iraq for Iraqis, troops out now!"

"End Colonialism In The 'Americas'"