Greens defend Cindy Sheehan vigil, call war proponents - expected Saturday - ‘vicious attack dogs set loose by radical right'

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Wednesday, August 25, 2005

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Sara Amir (Los Angeles) 310-270-7106,
Stuart Bechman (Ventura) 805-405-3929,
Pat Driscoll (Sacramento) 916-320-6430,
Susan King (San Francisco) 415-823-5524,

SACRAMENTO (August 26, 2005) – On the eve of the expected arrival Saturday of a caravan of pro-war advocates at "Camp Casey" at Cindy Sheehan's vigil in Crawford, Texas, the Green Party of California described those criticizing Sheehan as a "baying pack of vicious attack dogs being set loose by the radical right."

Sheehan, who renewed her vow to stay at the camp outside Pres. Bush's ranch after caring for her ill mother much of the last week in California, is now the target of those who support the President and the war.

"The issue here is not Cindy Sheehan, who has earned every right to speak out, but the incompetent, arrogant, and deceptive leadership of Pres. George Bush, who needs to answer the questions on the minds of a majority of Californians who now believe this war is wrong," said Pat Driscoll, a GPCA spokesperson and a former Green Party congressional candidate.

Driscoll, founder of a California Veterans for Peace Chapter, helped organize a counter-demonstration opposing the caravan – the brainchild of a conservative Sacramento radio station – this week when it left for Texas from California.

Those advocating more war "refuse to acknowledge, as the majority of Americans now have, that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism - it is just using our troops as cannon fodder," said Driscoll.

"There is an exit strategy which will work. First, call an immediate cease-fire in Iraq, and give U.S. troops the moral advantage that's been squandered by President Bush. Second, immediately halt construction on permanent bases and demonstrate a true commitment to Iraqi independence, and third, begin a withdrawal of our troops," Driscoll explained.

Among the Greens in Crawford supporting Cindy Sheehan is Aimee Allison, an Oakland City Council candidate earlier this year and a conscientious objector in the first Gulf War.

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org