Common Dreams -- "Human Shield" Peace Activists Mobilize for Iraq

To the delight of Baghdad, anti-war activists round the world are staging their own mobilisation to Iraq to act as "human shields" if the bombs start falling and in solidarity with the Iraqi people.

As the United States and Britain build up their military presence in the Gulf, the volunteers from Western and Muslim groups are also planning to converge on Iraq for what they view as an 11th hour peace mission.

Shrugging off criticism they are handing a propaganda gift to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the groups involved insist they can recruit hundreds or even thousands of volunteers.

"I am calling for a mass migration to Iraq. We can stop this mad war," said Ken Nichols, a Dutch-based former U.S. marine who was in the 1991 Gulf War and is now behind one of the highest-profile human shield convoys.

This is not hitting mainstream US mass media although it is big news in most of the world.