No Seattle parade for Iraq war vets, yet
Feb 3, 2012, 11:25 AM | Updated: 12:36 pm
A parade to honor Iraq war veterans makes its way west on Market Street Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012 in St. Louis.(AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, David Carson)
(AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, David Carson)
After an overwhelming response to a parade celebrating Iraq War veterans in St. Louis, other cities are considering similar celebrations.
The Jan. 28 parade drew an estimated 100,000 observers and 20,000 participants, and was the first major event honoring post-Sept. 11 veterans since the Iraq War ended in December.
Organizers told the Associated Press they were approached by people from Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Seattle, Tucson, Ariz., Nashville, Tenn., Greensboro, N.C., and Clinton, Iowa, who hoped to tap into their expertise.
A spokesperson in Mayor Mike McGinn’s office, however, told 97.3 KIRO FM in an email that Seattle has no such plans right now, and that the city is not aware of anything in the works.
Other cities, such as New York, will also hold off. Mayor Michael Bloomberg told WOR Radio that military officials in Washington “think a parade would be premature while we still have so many troops in harm’s way around the world.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
