As a reference to the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, and in keeping with the Veterans For Peace Statement of Purpose, these rows of white wooden crosses, Muslim crescents and stars of David, provide a place to grieve and honor the more than 4,900 American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the more than 1 million Iraqi civilians death.

The memorial is also designed to raise public awareness of the real costs and consequences of American militarism and to offer a site that fosters dialogue and reflection on war.