Wednesday, December 28, 2005

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- Dozens of war protesters packed up their tents and left their campsite in a field near President Bush's ranch Sunday, vowing to return during Easter for a third vigil if U.S. troops are still in Iraq.The weeklong protest, which coincided with Bush's Thanksgiving holiday visit to his ranch, drew about 200 people. It was a continuation of the August demonstration led by California mother Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey died in Iraq last year during combat.Protesters credit the summer vigil, which they say attracted some 12,000 people over the 26 days, with shifting American sentiment about the war. They said they returned to keep pressure on Bush to end the war, although they knew turnout would be lower during the holidays."This is part of a permanent action that is going to keep happening," said Beatriz Saldivar, whose nephew Daniel Torres died in Iraq in February. "It's powerful that we come here in his backyard and we say, `Enough."'A few Bush supporters gathered again Sunday in the Crawford Coffee Station parking lot, where a store marquee read: "You are home. We support you. Happy Thanksgiving."One Bush supporter had signs -- "Score: Cindy, 3. USA, 403" -- referring to House Republicans' recent vote on a nonbinding resolution to pull out the troops from Iraq. It was rejected 403-3.Before leaving town Sunday, the group of about 50 war protesters held an interfaith service at the Crawford Peace House.They also planted a tree at their campsite, a private lot about a mile from Bush's ranch. The landowner who let demonstrators use the property the last few weeks of the August vigil has leased it to them through next year. Before last week's protest, the group had water and electricity installed."We're here for the long haul. As long as this country is at war with Iraq, we'll be here to oppose it," said Hadi Jawad, a co-founder of the Crawford Peace House, which opened a month after the war began in March 2003. "I think Crawford has become a point of pilgrimage to a lot of people. This has become hallowed ground."After taking some time off from protesting to spend Christmas with their families, many plan to return to the area for the January court date of the 12 activists arrested last week. They challenged the new county bans on roadside parking and camping by setting up tents at Sheehan's original site, in ditches off the main road leading to Bush's ranch.Sheehan, who was not yet in town when the 12 were arrested, said she was glad she returned for the second protest."I go all over the country, mostly by myself. I'm never alone, but I'm often lonely," said Sheehan, who has three other children and is going through a divorce. "When I came here Thursday, I didn't feel lonely anymore. I'm here with my family."Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home