On June 28-29, an “Open National Antiwar Conference” was held in Cleveland, called by a newly minted National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occupation. Over objections from the conference organizers, centrally Socialist Action, the assembly voted to change the name to include reference to the war on Afghanistan, and to emphasize the connection with U.S. backing for the Zionist occupation of Palestine.

On May 1, ports up and down the Pacific Coast were shut down by the ILWU to demand an end to “this bloody war and occupation for imperial domination.” The Spartacist League for many years called for workers strikes against the war. However, as part of its turn from Trotskyism to centrism, the SL abandoned this key position.