Protesters gathered at Lafayette Park across from theWhite House and planned to march through downtown. Stops on the routeinclude military contractor Halliburton, the Mortgage BankersAssociation and The Washington Post offices.
The protest,organized by military veterans and activists Ralph Nader and CindySheehan, was expected to draw smaller crowds than the tens of thousandswho marched in 2006 and 2007. But organizers say momentum is buildingas peace protesters have become disenchanted with US President Obama'sdecision to send more troops into Afghanistan.