DIVIDED WE STAND What happened to our country?

-- a message from Cindy Sheehan, Crawford, TX

In My Life, I Loved You More

Since I began my vigil in Crawford, an average of 2.69 per day of our nation's brave and noble troops died in Iraq for George's cowardly and ignoble war. 2.69 families per day have been devastated for no reason except that: we have to continue killing American soldiers because so many have been killed already. My heart and soul go out to these families who had a loved one killed so needlessly and avoidably.

How many more are we as Americans going to tolerate before we force the reckless commander in chief to bring our kids home? How much more blood are we going to allow congress to wash their hands in before we force them to force George to bring our children home?

We are doing everything at Camp Casey to build awareness of this illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. Now we need your help. We are taking Camp Casey to Congress. We plan to hold rallies and meetings in key Congressional districts (Democrats and Republican alike), where the incumbent is weak on the war. Here is the letter I am sending to all of our Congressional representatives:

Dear [Representative],

My son Casey, just 24, was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. It is devastating to me knowing that Casey died needlessly, that so many other families face this same grief, and that new families are added daily. I have been sitting outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford since August 6th in a roadside ditch we named Camp Casey, seeking a meeting and a dialogue about an illegal and immoral war. I have been joined there by other mothers and families, many of whom have lost children in the war, some who have children now serving in the military, and still others who in one way or another have been touched by the war.

The President has not been willing to meet with me, but he must meet and listen to you. President Bush sent our sons and daughters to war in Iraq. Congress gave him the authority to do so. That's why we are now turning to you, the elected officials who have the power to declare wars -- and end wars. We come to you with grieving hearts to request that you meet with us to answer our simple questions:

President Bush has said that brave Americans like my son Casey have died for a "noble cause." What is that "noble cause"?

How many more lives are we as a country willing to sacrifice in Iraq? How many are you personally willing to sacrifice?

What are you specifically doing to bring our sons and daughters home from this needless war?

Mothers from your district – all who share my conviction that this war must come to an end - are eager to meet with you, and pose to you the questions that the President has refused to answer for me. They will be coming to meet you with a symbol from our vigil in Crawford and will seek honest, straightforward responses to our simple questions. They are your constituents, and they will be asking you my questions, their questions, and the nation's questions. They are going to ask you, your colleagues, and the President to answer us.

As a member of Congress you have the enormous responsibility to end this tragedy and bring our sons and daughters home now. Meet with us, answer us, and show us that there need not be a Camp Casey in your district. Show us that the Crawford Camp Casey, brought on by a stonewalling leader, was all we need. Show us your compassion and leadership.

Sincerely,
Cindy Sheehan
Mother of Casey Sheehan

Please keep watching www.MeetWithCindy.org for the schedule of our bus tour and our Congressional visiting schedule. We need your support at these events.

Yesterday was extraordinary at Camp Casey. It was filled with love, passion, and compassion. We started off the day with a prayer service led by religious leaders of all faiths, topped off with a little preaching by the Rev. Al Sharpton who gave an amazing talk in support of Camp Casey and all we are doing. Right before the Rev. Sharpton arrived, Sean Hannity said that if he were truly a man of God, instead of supporting me, the Reverend would "denounce" me for speaking ill of the President. The Reverend didn't take Hannity's advice, and I am glad.

The next stunning event was the marriage of Peter and Genevieve at Camp Casey II. It was so beautiful. Genevieve walked down the aisle towards Peter and his two sons, while we all hummed: "Here Comes the Bride." The couple for peace then had a collection taken up for our bus tour (www.BringThemHomeNow.org) in lieu of gifts. They also made a generous donation to the tour. It was amazing, beautiful, and touching, and I am so honored, but not surprised, that they chose to begin their new lives together in such a loving place as Camp Casey. At the end of the ceremony, they played "In My Life" by the Beatles. One part of the song says: "Some are dead and some are living, in my life, I loved you more." I had about all I could handle when I heard that line and I wept for my loss, but also for my gain. Camp Casey has given me back my joy for life, and a renewed sense of hope for my future and my country's future.

We ended the day reciting a rosary, led by Martin Sheen. Martin said Camp Casey was "holy ground" and he met with the Iraqi veterans and with me. I called him my "dream President." I am so happy that at least I was able to meet with a President, if a TV one, who turns out to be a very nice guy on top of everything.

Just another day at Camp Casey.

A beautiful moment...

By Scott Galindez / t r u t h o u t

Monday 29 August 2005
8:48 PM

A beautiful moment just happened at Camp Casey I. There was a candle light vigil honoring troops who have died in Iraq. The counter protesters came across the street and joined the vigilers at Camp Casey, They shared the flag and prayed together for the families on both sides who have lost loved ones in the war. They are now singing and holding candles together. This is a testament to the power of this movement...

Iraqi activist taken up by Bush recants her views

By Andrew Buncombe / The Independent

She was the Iraqi activist who became a symbol of the possibility of a brighter future for Iraq.

Back in February, with blue ink on her finger symbolising the recent Iraqi election in which she had just voted, Safia Taleb al-Souhail was invited to sit with the first lady, Laura Bush, and listen to the President claim in his state of the union address that success was being achieved in Iraq. Her picture went round the world after she turned to hug Janet Norwood, a Texas woman whose son had been killed in Iraq.

But now it appears Ms Souhail, an anti-Saddam activist who became Iraq's ambassador to Egypt, may be having second thoughts about the "success" she celebrated with a two-fingered victory sign.

Having seen the negotiations for the country's constitution fall into disarray and the prospect of a secular constitution severely undermined, she expressed her concerns last week.

"When we came back from exile, we thought we were going to improve rights and the position of women. But look what has happened: we have lost all the gains we made over the past 30 years. It's a big disappointment. Human rights should not be linked to Islamic sharia law at all. They should be listed separately in the constitution."

Although, in practice, many Iraqis end up having recourse to religious authorities or informal tribal law, the idea of a united civil code is central to the modern state, she said.

Ms Souhail, whose actions during Mr Bush's February address were noted by Billmon.Org, a political website, added: "This will lead to creating religious courts. But we should be giving priority to the law."

Mr Bush claimed last week that women's rights were not being threatened by the negotiations in Baghdad.

"There is not, as I understand it, the way the constitution is written, is that women have got rights, inherent rights recognised in the constitution, and that the constitution talks about, you know, not 'the religion' but 'a religion'," he said.

"Twenty-five per cent of the assembly is going to be women, which is embedded in the constitution."

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