Jakarta – Some 600 people rallied on Wednesday outside the US embassy, torching an effigy of a gun-toting US President George Bush and describing the war in Iraq as genocide.

"Drag Bush and Blair to an international tribunal" and "Stop genocide in Iraq," read some of the placards displayed by the protesters, from a faction of the largest Islamic political party the United Development Party, The Crescent Reform Party which was led preacher Zainuddin MZ.

"Bush is a war criminal who is killing women and children in Iraq," one protester shouted through a megaphone, AFP reported.

Largely peaceful protests have been held daily in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, since the war began on March 20. The government has also strongly criticised the US-led invasion of Iraq.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri said earlier Wednesday she believes the warwill be a long one because the Iraqis are fighting for their country. Megawati said that even when the conflict began she was convinced it would be protracted because of the Iraqis' strong sense of patriotism.

"What we see is how a nation is dedicated to defend the state and the nation," she said. "I say it will be a long war." The US and Britain say they are fighting to liberate Iraqis from the rule of Saddam Hussein.