If you want to protest a war, and think it might do some good, do it now. It sounds like our next target is Syria, but that might change. Don't say I didn't warn you, now is the time for protest if you think you can change our "system". When our troops move in, that is the time to shut up and admit defeat, just like in an election.
To protest after a war starts is obviously too late, and serves to undermine the actions of our soldiers. The question of patriotism is drowned out by the question of whether you care more for the welfare of your friends and neighbors and their children, or more for the welfare of people on the other side of the world whom you've probably never met. The middle view, respect everyone, gets soldiers killed.
But you'll have to make new signs, "no blood for oil" probably won't work next time.
In the long run, my take on the whole mess is that nothing will work except regime change HERE, and I don't mean substituting one street gang for another. I will never again vote for any member of the D gang or any member of the R gang, or any other person who will "vote with his gang" instead of being a PERSON who will respect the Constitution and represent his constituents instead of voting according to the letter tattooed on his forehead.
My personal assessment is that war protest is unlikely to be successful. Regime change is unlikely to be successful. Of the two, I find regime change more likely. Which means that anyone who wants to stop this shit would be most effective by 1) political action to get more choices on the ballot, hard when the system has been set up to exclude all but R's and D's, 2)Taking the pledge never to vote for an R or D again, 3) pass the message on.
Meanwhile, if you meet a returning soldier, the only thing to say is THANK YOU. If you don't like what happened, the blood is on your hands, if you voted for any R or D last time, at any level, didn't vote at all, or didn't work hard enough to change the system to get rid of the R's and D's..