FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 11:01 AM


CONTACT: Meet with the Mothers, http://meetwiththemothers.org Karen Pomer 310.463.7025 Shay Lohman 626.833.0105

Cindy Sheehan Holds US Leaders 'Feet to the Fire' on Iraq - DC

WASHINGTON - September 29 - Cindy Sheehan Meets With Top Democratic and Republican Representatives: Urges Them to Increase Their Leadership in Ending the War in Iraq Thursday's Schedule Includes House Democratic Leader Pelosi, Sen. Dole, Sen. Obama, and Sen. Durbin

Sheehan and her Supporters Pledge to Hold Both Democratic and Republican Leaders ‘Feet to the Fire’ to ‘Bring the Troops Home Now’ From a War That a Record Two-Thirds of Americans Recently Polled Say President Bush is Mishandling

WHEN: Thursday, September 29th at 5:30 PM

WHERE: NEW LOCATION DUE TO RAIN: Outside office of Sen. Barack Obama 713 Hart Senate Office Building.

WHAT: Media availability with Cindy Sheehan to discuss meetings with top Democratic and Republican representatives, her week in Washington, including Saturday's 100,000 - 300,000 person march and rally against the war, and her arrest outside the White House along with 370 others. Sheehan will be flying back to California after the media availability.

Cindy Sheehan, the grieving military mother whose August vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas focused the nation's attention on the human cost of the Iraq war, will be available for interviews on Thursday, September 29, after meetings with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Senator Barack Obama (D-ILL.), Senator Richard Durbin (D-ILL.), and Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), regarding their leadership in bringing our troops home from Iraq immediately.

Sheehan's son Casey, of Vacaville, CA, was killed in Sadr City while serving in the Army in April 2004.

“So far this month 43 American troops and many more Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq. Our Representatives and Senators must take responsibility for this war, and take action to bring an end to it,” Sheehan said.

''We have gone after Democrats as strongly as Republicans leaders. We believe a strong—a good Democratic or Republican leader or candidate has to stand up and say, it‘s a war based on lies. We should never have gone there. We shouldn't be there. And let‘s lead our troops out now."

In addition to urging Congress members to bring the troops home from Iraq, she will also implore them to use U.S. tax dollars to pay for hurricane relief and reconstruction instead of war and destruction in Iraq.

"We intend to hold these Democratic or Republican leaders 'feet to the fire' until they lead the way Americans wants them to. According to recent polls a record two-thirds of Americans say the war is being mishandled by President Bush and a majority want to cut spending to the war to pay for hurricane relief,'' said Sheehan.

A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll , reported that 59% said they considered the 2003 invasion of Iraq a mistake, 63% said they wanted to see some or all U.S. troops withdrawn from that country and 54% told pollsters they favor cutting spending on the war to pay for disaster relief.

Only 39% said the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to have done. Support for Bush's management of the war in Iraq has dropped to 32%, with 67% telling pollsters they disapproved of how Bush is prosecuting the conflict.

Since Sheehan’s vigil in Crawford ended on Aug. 31, she and other military families, Iraq war veterans, and peace activists have taken the vigil to congressional district offices throughout the country, in an effort to hold members of Congress and the President accountable for the devastation in Iraq.

In a letter she wrote to Congress in late August, she said, “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.”

So far, Sheehan has visited the offices of Senators John McCain, Richard Lugar, John Kerry, Hilary Clinton, Dianne Feinstein, Charles Schumer, and Edward Kennedy, as well as Congressmen Tom Delay, Mark Kirk, Dennis Hastert, Charles Rangel, Henry Waxman, Lloyd Doggett, and others. During the meetings, she asks Congress members the simple questions she wanted to ask President Bush: What is the "noble cause " that brave Americans like Casey Sheehan have died for? 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?

Meet with the Mothers is the new Congressional Campaign of Cindy Sheehan and Gold Star Families for Peace. Gold Star Families for Peace is taking the same questions that Cindy was seeking answers to from the President and now taking them to every Member of Congress and Senator for their response. They are working to hold every Member of Congress and Senator accountable along with the President.

http://meetwiththemothers.org


Informant: John Calvert



Cindy Sheehan
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