US Pockets of Protest Persist After Years of War A decade after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, small groups of people across the country still carry signs to voice their opposition to the U.S.-led wars across the world. Even though the war in Iraq officially ended in 2011, the war in Afghanistan continues. Every Friday in Vermont's capital, a small group of protesters gathers in front of the post office. There are also protests in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Colorado, California and other states. Sixty-four-year-old John Snell of Montpelier says the protests are a reminder for everyone that the wars are still going on.