Posted on 08/06/2005 5:15:28 PM PDT by markomalley
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch Saturday, demanding an accounting from Bush of how he has conducted the war in Iraq.
Supported by more than 50 demonstrators who chanted, "W. killed her son!" Cindy Sheehan told reporters: "I want to ask the president, 'Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for?'" Sheehan, 48, didn't get to see Bush, but did talk about 45 minutes with national security adviser Steve Hadley and deputy White House chief of staff Joe Hagin, who went out to hear her concerns.
Appreciative of their attention, yet undaunted, Sheehan said she planned to continue her roadside vigil, except for a few breaks, until she gets to talk to Bush. Her son, Casey, 24, was killed in Sadr City, Iraq, on April 4, 2004. He was an Army specialist, a Humvee mechanic.
"They (the advisers) said we are in Iraq because they believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, that the world's a better place with Saddam gone and that we're making the world a safer place with what we're doing over there," Sheehan said in a telephone interview after the meeting.
"They were very respectful. They were nice men. I told them Iraq was not a threat to the United States and that now people are dead for nothing. I told them I wouldn't leave until I talked to George Bush."
She said Hagin told her, "I want to assure you that he (Bush) really does care."
"And I said if he does care, why doesn't he come out and talk to me."
Sheehan arrived in Crawford aboard a bus painted red, white and blue and emblazoned with the words, "Impeachment Tour." Sheehan, from Vacaville, Calif., had been attending a Veterans for Peace convention in Dallas.
The bus, trailed by about 20 cars of protesters and reporters, drove at about 15 mph toward Bush's ranch. After several miles, they parked the vehicles and began to march, in stifling heat, farther down the narrow country road.
Flanked by miles of pasture, Sheehan spoke with reporters while clutching two photographs, one of her son in uniform, and the other, a baby picture, when he was seven months old.
She said she decided to come to Crawford a few days ago after Bush said that fallen U.S. troops had died for a noble cause and that the mission must be completed.
"I want to ask the president, `Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for?" she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Last week, you said my son died for a noble cause' and I want to ask him what that noble cause is?"
White House spokesman Trent Duffy said response that Bush also wants the troops to return home safely.
"Many of the hundreds of families the president has met with know their loved one died for a noble cause and that the best way to honor their sacrifice is to complete the mission," Duffy said.
"It is a message the president has heard time and again from those he has met with and comforted. Like all Americans, he wants the troops home as soon as possible."
The group marched about a half-mile before local law enforcement officials stopped them at a bend in the road, still four to five miles from the ranch's entrance. Capt. Kenneth Vanek of the McLennan County Sheriff's Office said the group was stopped because some marchers ignored instructions to walk in the ditch beside the road, not on the road.
"If they won't cooperate, we won't," Vanek said.
Great point.
Appeasement never works.
Fair point. I should have said, "at best, she is either stupid or in an irrational state." It's quite possible that she is evil. Many of these antiwar people are, I think.
"long interview with the Secret Service."
I agree. The White House was being naive here.
When people read that she lost a son, they automatically want to have compassion on her.
Thats her tactic.
Did you not read the post above, that states the he HAS met privately with her???
After going to the link in post 12, she wasn't exploited by anyone.
I mean, come on.
The Moron.orgs were mass emailing everyone they could before the election to find ANYONE who lost their child in the war. Remember?
Evil? No. I don't think so. Distraught, yes. Misguided, absolutely. But not evil. You give her too much credit.
She's apparently a left-wing activist.
Using her sons death for her own selfish and harmful agenda lends itself to evil at the least.
A left wing activist? I repeat...misguided. Sorry, but I just think people use the word 'evil' way too often. Let's reserve it for true evil. Which exists.
Riding on an Impeach Bush bus and you think Pres Bush could have soothed her anger? I rather think she was angry before her son (may he RIP) was killed. She is using his death as her angry platform now.
What do you consider evil may I ask?
Methinks you have a weakness for the line in the sand.
I am pretty sure that her son "totally disagreed" with her as well.
It seems that the son was an idealist and the mother was the opposite (a materialist?)
I wonder if his joining the military was a reaction to her selfish rationalizations.
I consider Saddam Hussein evil. And here's to the line in the sand we drew in Iraq.
OK>>>>> I agree with what your saying, I KNOW she is being used by the freakoids. However, her anger is directed at the wrong person. No one belives more in the President than I do. I know Sheehan's son was there for a reason.
I pitty her and understand that President Bush should not give her more attention than any other family. He handled it in the most appropiate way by having his aids talk to her. She will not last long in Crawford. If I were 7 hours closer, I would go tell her that. Not that she would listen to me or President Bush, she is looking for attention and I think the less said to her or about her the better she is.
She's clearly a moonbat from way back and I'll bet its a lie through and through that she hasn't been an activist for decades. Do we know where she's from?
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