War Is A Crime .org

"If I only had a nickel for each time Bush mentions 9/11, I could have enough money to go after Bin Laden!

LISTEN HERE

"A helicopter flew overhead lower than others we were accustomed to. The helicopter had an agent riding outside with a weapon trained on us, but once the motorcade passed he moved on as well. The motorcade went by us twice, very fast, and a few of the vehicles had rifles pointed out open windows, I was thankful no one made any sudden moves." This is what we've come to in the land of the free.

Published on Friday, August 26, 2005 by the Press & Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY)
Peaceful Siege Makes Chicken Hawks Squawk
by David Rossie

Nowhere is that more apparent today than in the case of Cindy Sheehan, whose peaceful siege of Prairie Chapel -- a reverse siege of the Alamo, with the good guys on the outside this time, and the bad guys on the inside -- has polarized the nation, or at least a part of it.

Withdrawal from Iraq, or the Greater Mistake
Editorial

President George W. Bush said in Idaho, "I think immediate withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake." Immediate withdrawal might well be a mistake. But withdrawal will come, and the greater mistake is in delaying it too long.

The occupation of Iraq has been fraught with mistakes, from the failure to stop looting and the order to disband the Iraqi army to setting the size of the occupation force too low. But to send more troops, as some Democrats suggest, would compound mistakes. The president argued in Salt Lake City that the deaths of 1,864 American soldiers in Iraq was an argument to keep fighting. He said, "We owe them something. We will finish the task that they gave their lives for."

Cindy Sheehan Planning Anti-War Bus Tour

By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer Thu Aug 25, 7:30 PM ET

CRAWFORD, Texas - A fallen soldier's mother said Thursday that the anti-war vigil she started nearly three weeks ago near
President Bush's ranch won't end when she and other protesters pack up their camp next week.

Cindy Sheehan said the day after she leaves Aug. 31, she will embark on a bus tour ending up in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24. Then the group will start a 24-hour vigil in the nation's capital.

"I am not alone," she said at a news conference Thursday. "There's the people standing behind me here, but there's thousands of military families ... who want the same answers to the same questions."

Poll: Many Back Right to Protest Iraq War

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer Fri Aug 26, 7:21 AM ET

WASHINGTON - An overwhelming number of people say critics of the Iraq war should be free to voice their objections — a rare example of widespread agreement about a conflict that has divided the nation along partisan lines.

Nearly three weeks after a grieving California mother named Cindy Sheehan started her anti-war protest near
President Bush's Texas ranch, nine of 10 people surveyed in an AP-Ipsos poll say it's OK for war opponents to publicly share their concerns about the conflict.

Working Assets to Deliver Flowers to Crawford Saturday

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- When the long distance and wireless company Working Assets offered to deliver roses to Cindy Sheehan in Crawford, it was surprised by the massive response from citizens eager to show their support.

The mother of a soldier slain in Iraq has been the emotional anchor for a growing vigil less than one mile from President and Mrs. Bush's Crawford compound.

Within hours of posting the opportunity online, over 3,300 people took advantage of the company's offer to deliver a rose to Camp Casey for anyone who contributed $3. The roses will be delivered to Crawford on Saturday, August 27.

DONATE HERE

Cindy Meets the Media
By David Swanson

There's a press conference at 10:30 a.m. CT every day at Camp Casey 2 near Crawford, Texas, and today was no exception.

PHOTO OF PRESS CONFERENCE: http://tinyurl.com/coayr

Seven military family members and veterans spoke very briefly, then Cindy Sheehan spoke, and then Cindy answered questions from the assembled representatives of our (private) public communications system. The whole thing took 20 minutes. Then it took me 20 minutes to drive back to the Crawford Peace House, another 20 minutes to do an interview for Pacifica Radio about it, and another 20 to 30 minutes to talk to people on the way to my computer, which is the great thing about being in Crawford. So, this live blog is live in a delayed way.

Pruetts “Totally Empathize

McCarthyism Watch
Two TV Stations Ban Cindy Sheehan Ads
Matthew Rothschild
August 25, 2005

Two TV stations out west refused to run an ad by Cindy Sheehan and Gold Star Families for Peace when Bush was visiting there.

In the ad, Sheehan addresses Bush directly and asks, “Why can’t you be honest with us?
. . . You lied to us, and because of your lies my son died.

From democracynow.org:

We play a press conference from Camp Casey held by members of Gold Star Families for Peace with mothers and wives from around the country speaking about their opposition to the war and to President Bush's policies in Iraq.

Listen/Watch/Read<.a>

Bush elects to smear and dodge Cindy Sheehan
by Ahmed Amr
(Friday August 26 2005)

"Every American should be concerned with the ‘precedent’ of a commander in chief who refuses to disclose his rationale for invading a foreign country. The Bush administration’s ‘style’ of governance is all about evading legitimate inquiries and smearing any dissenter who dares to challenge their dismal performance."

Thirty years from now, we will get a full account of the White House strategy for dealing with Cindy Sheehan. In the meantime, we are obliged to depend on available fragments of information and our past experience with Karl Rove’s smear machine. So far, we know that the president has altered his vacation plans to cope with a sudden and unexpected outbreak of anti-war fever. As he interrupts his five-week summer siesta to resell the Iraq war, a full-scale smear campaign has been set in motion to discredit the lady from Vacaville. The Rove squads are out in force to change the subject and cast doubt on whether Cindy has the qualifications to argue with the president on the merits of this war of choice.

Starting The Iraq Debate: Your Letters
by TomPaine.com Readers
The NARAL ad, immigration and Rep. Woolsey's call for debate on Iraq: Readers react in this week's letters.

Read them here

LEONARD PITTS JR.: Sheehan quest still thriving
August 26, 2005

BY LEONARD PITTS JR.

Cindy Sheehan has a question: "I want to ask George Bush: Why did my son die?"

Sheehan will get her wish to meet with the president the day winged donkeys perform an air show in the skies above the South Lawn. In other words, never.

In part, this is because the president is famously intolerant of criticism and notoriously fumble-tongued when working without a script. It is also because no president can afford to be seen as having been bullied into doing something. So Sheehan's vigil near the president's Crawford, Texas, ranch is likely to continue without resolution until the end of Bush's extended vacation.

By Jeff Norman

U.S. Tour of Duty
September 26, 2005

Contrary to various warnings that we were entering hostile territory, a very warm crowd of 350 turned out on short notice at Metropolitan Community Church in Houston last night to hear a well-rounded roster of U.S. Tour of Duty speakers discuss the American occupation of Iraq and related issues. Former CIA analyst Mel Goodman had his speech interrupted by a phone call from Joan Baez, who sung two songs and talked about the "wall of denial" which many of us feel is in the process of being torn down. Earlier Cindy Sheehan had called to thank everyone for their support.

BRAD SHOW's "Operation Noble Cause" Continues...
Cindy Sheehan and John Conyers Yesterday...
Arianna Huffington Rescheduled for Today & Much More from Crawford, Texas!
LIVE Coverage Begins at HIGH NOON Central Time!
'Operation Noble Cause' Continues...Deep in the Heart of Texas...

Yesterday, after CINDY SHEEHAN gave her press conference, it was to be a day of rest for her with no media interviews. Nonetheless, she sat down with The BRAD SHOW via RAW RADIO for a LIVE EXCLUSIVE interview from the Crawford Peace House as part of our continuing special "Operation Noble Cause" coverage! We also heard from REP. JOHN CONYERS yesterday in a 30 minute LIVE interview and much much more from on the ground in Crawford!

August 26, 2005 latimes.com : National News Print
Sheehan Vows Her Cause Is Just Beginning

The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq plans a national bus tour next month to protest the war, as emotions run high at 'Camp Casey.'

By Peter Wallsten, Times Staff Writer

CRAWFORD, Texas — The mother who pitched a tent near President Bush's property three weeks ago and watched her antiwar campaign gain momentum said Thursday that her efforts would not end, even if Bush granted her the face-to-face meeting she has been seeking.

Cindy Sheehan, whose 24-year-old son died in Iraq last year, said she would lead a national bus tour beginning Sept. 1 and ending Sept. 24, when the group she co-founded, Gold Star Families for Peace, and other antiwar organizations would settle on a more permanent site in Washington.

Dear Sussel,

Cindy Sheehan's courageous protest outside George Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX has captivated tens of millions of Americans from coast to coast. Her poignant and heartfelt pleas have focused the nation's attention on Iraq in a way that nothing else could.

Yet after 28 long months of our occupation of Iraq, and after 1,873 brave American soldiers -- including Casey Sheehan -- have lost their lives, President Bush has still failed to develop a success strategy. This cannot continue any longer.

Shortly after the Senate reconvenes in early September, and when George Bush returns to Washington from his five-week vacation in Texas, I am personally going to deliver our petition to the White House, calling on President Bush to spell out his plan for Iraq. And I want your name to be on it.

Call on President Bush to develop a success strategy for Iraq -- sign my petition now!

MESSAGE FROM RANDI
08.25.2005

August has been the bloodiest month yet in Iraq. Not surprising that most Americans now want a simple question answered: Why are we there?

Cindy Sheehan lost her son Casey in Iraq. She wants the same question answered. Bush's reply: make her GOP Public Enemy #1. See just some of the disgusting smears below.

I will be in Crawford in on Saturday. I hope you can join me as I join Cindy.

I'M ON MY WAY, CINDY!

Thanks for listening.

Love ALLways,

Randi Rhodes

Dear Sussel,

I wrote to you last week about our petition for Cindy Sheehan - a petition stating that she has the right to be heard - and in the eight days since sending that email we've been overwhelmed with signatures of support. Thank you so much.

Our military families deserve our utmost respect and consideration; the very least we can do to acknowledge their patriotism and sacrifice is hear them out. Growing up in a military family I remember how trying it was, worrying that a person you love might not make it home, and I remember seeing other families lose their loved ones, as Cindy has. The ways we have to comfort Cindy and other parents and family members whose loved ones have died in service to this country are too few and too feeble; we cannot give them what they most want, of course, which are the lives of those they love. But one way to make matters worse is to tell them that you don't value what they have to say about their loss.

Like thousands of other military family members, Cindy has made the ultimate sacrifice for us and for our country. She wants to talk to the President about that sacrifice. With this statement of support, we acknowledge Casey's life and death in service, and we declare that his mother's voice should be heard.

Thank you for your support as we fight for all of our military families.

- Elizabeth

TAKE ACTION: Click here to support Cindy Sheehan in her struggle to be heard.

The map
by kos
Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 00:49:08 PDT
Know how conservatives love to use those maps showing areas that voted Republicans, and those that voted Democrats?

What would they say about this map?

LINK TO MAP

Update: Thanks to popular demand, the 2004 map by county:

LINK TO ELECTION 2004 MAP BY COUNTY

LINK TO ORIGINAL

A new Scott Bateman flash animation takes a look at Bush's February 6, 2003 speech about Iraq's WMD here.

New political cartoons about Cindy are available here.

Tennessee National Guard soldiers killed in Iraq

SWEETWATER (AP) — Two Tennessee National Guard soldiers were killed Monday in Iraq, their family members said Tuesday.

Spc. Joseph "Joey" Hunt, 27, of Sweetwater, and Sgt. Victoir P. Lieurance, 34, of Seymour, were members of the 278th Regimental Combat Team. Two other members of the unit on the same combat patrol were injured Monday afternoon southwest of Samarra when an improvised explosive device exploded near their vehicle, ejecting at least one soldier.

The Hunt family issued a statement saying they did not know many details of the incident and asked to be allowed to grieve in private.

by Timothy Garton Ash in Stanford
Thursday August 25, 2005
The Guardian

The US is reeling, like imperial Britain after the Boer war - but don't gloat

If you want to know what London was like in 1905, come to Washington in 2005. Imperial gravitas and massive self-importance. That sense of being the centre of the world, and of needing to know what happens in every corner of the world because you might be called on - or at least feel called upon - to intervene there. Hyperpower. Top dog. And yet, gnawing away beneath the surface, the nagging fear that your global supremacy is not half so secure as you would wish. As Joseph Chamberlain, the British colonial secretary, put it in 1902: "The weary Titan staggers under the too vast orb of his fate."

LINK TO ORIGINAL

Abu Ghraib General Lambasts Bush Administration
By Marjorie Cohn
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Wednesday 24 August 2005

I had been hesitant to speak out before because this Administration is so vindictive. But now I will ... Anybody who confronts this Administration or Rumsfeld or the Pentagon with a true assessment, they find themselves either out of a job, out of their positions, fired, relieved or chastised. Their career comes to an end.
-- Janis Karpinski, interview with Marjorie Cohn, August 3, 2005

Norman Solomon will be discussing his book War Made Easy on C-Span 2 on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 11 p.m. ET. The program will then be shown again on Monday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 a.m. ET.

The audio of Solomon's speech is already available on Alternet.

Before It's Too Late in Iraq

By Wesley K. Clark

Friday, August 26, 2005; Page A21

In the old, familiar fashion, mounting U.S. casualties in Iraq have mobilized increasing public doubts about the war. More than half the American people now believe that the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. They're right. But it would also be a mistake to pull out now, or to start pulling out or to set a date certain for pulling out. Instead we need a strategy to create a stable, democratizing and peaceful state in Iraq -- a strategy the administration has failed to develop and
articulate.

From the outset of the U.S. post-invasion efforts, we needed a three-pronged strategy: diplomatic, political and military. Iraq sits geographically on the fault line between Shiite and Sunni Islam; for the mission to succeed we will have to be the catalyst for regional cooperation, not regional conflict.

Unfortunately, the administration didn't see the need for a diplomatic track, and its scattershot diplomacy in the region -- threats, grandiose pronouncements and truncated communications -- has been ill-advised and counterproductive. The U.S. diplomatic failure has magnified the difficulties facing the political and military elements of strategy by contributing to the increasing infiltration of jihadists and the surprising resiliency of the insurgency.

Camp Casey needs doctors and medical professionals! There have been many cases of heat exhaustion, along with other injuries (none major) that inevitably occur when large groups of people gather.

This is very important. This weekend Camp Casey is going to get slammed with citizens who will stand with Cindy... and Camp Casey still doesn't have a solid medical infastructure.

Medical professionals who can stay for a few days would be wonderful for consistency of care.

If you can help, please contact the Crawford Peace House.

Camp Casey is requesting the following supplies:
* Blood pressure cuffs
* Stethoscopes
* Crutches
* Antibiotics

by madame defarge at Democracy Cell Project

On a sunny summer Sunday in the Chicago suburbs, over 150 people gathered in the Highland Park town square for the second time in 5 days to take a stand for peace.

This time, we gathered in commemoration of those souls who have given their lives to the American military involvement in Iraq. We were there to dedicate the first semi-permanent display in the country that's based on the touring display Eyes Wide Open.

For the next 30 days, people passing by will see a collection of combat boots, shoes, and red and purple poppies that sit in symbolic recognition:
- 50 combat boots representing the states and territories that have sacrificed their sons & daughters
- 100 pair of civilian shoes for the estimated 100,000 Iraqi deaths
- 100 red poppies for over 12,000 wounded and disable soldiers
- 200 purple poppies for the 1 in 3 soldiers who will return home with emotional and mental disorders

By David Swanson

I came to Crawford today, and it's a little different from DC in several ways, but mostly it's hotter. I've been to both Camp Caseys, and am blogging this from the cool of the Crawford Peace House. At Camp Casey 1, I went across the road and talked to the half-dozen pro-war protesters. (There are police in the middle who have declared that there must be no interaction, but I didn't ask their permission.) I asked the pro-warers what they would tell Cindy Sheehan her son died for. Some of them couldn't come up with any reason for the war. A couple of them came up with this: Saddam Hussein would not have allowed Cindy Sheehan to protest on his road, and the war is being fought to protect that right in the US.