When Rose Met Cindy (Cindy Sheehan - UK Mom story)

[dooner]

When Rose met Cindy: The case against the war in Iraq
Andrew Buncombe, The Independent (UK)
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At Cindy Sheehan's side was Rose Gentle, a woman whose son, Gordon, was also killed in Iraq and who has launched a similarly relentless campaign to demand answers from Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"It's exciting to be here, to let George Bush know what we think about the war," Mrs Gentle said moments afterwards, standing at the junction with 17th Street, carrying a photograph of her son wearing his uniform of Royal Highland Fusiliers. Asked if she thought he would have approved of her campaign, she glanced at the photograph of the young man, 19 years old, and replied: "Gordon would have wanted this. His pals are still there and he would have wanted them home safe. They still keep in touch."

She added: "Those young boys don't know who's with them or who's against them. People think we are against the troops but we are for them - we want them home safe. Once they're dead, the don't want to know them. For a 19-year-old with just 24 weeks basic training to be sent to Iraq..."

Had the US and Britain not invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003 it is unlikely that Mrs Sheehan, 48, from Vacaville, California, and Mrs Gentle, 40, from the depressed Glasgow suburb of Pollok, would ever have had reason to know each other. As it is, they and many of the other demonstrators, who have this week made their way to the US capital after a tour that has taken them to 51 cities in 28 states, share a terrible bond.

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"Meeting with the other family members does make you feel sad," said Mrs Gentle, who is suing the Ministry of Defence, claiming that her son's vehicle should have been fitted with electronic jamming equipment. "No one here has done anything but shed tears ... People tell me it gets easier but how can it get easier when you turn on the TV and . Tony Blair and George Bush should be held responsible for this."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article314492.ece