Protest at Bush’s ranch gathers momentum—mother of fallen soldier continues to demand meeting with president
By Kate Randall
13 August 2005
The president’s contempt for Sheehan and her supporters was emphasized Friday afternoon when his motorcade rode past them without stopping on the way to a political fundraiser near his ranch. Law enforcement required the protesters to stand behind a yellow tape as Bush’s caravan passed. Ms. Sheehan held up a sign reading, “Why do you make time for donors and not for me?”
Bush and about 230 others were attending a barbeque fundraiser at the nearby 478-acre Broken Spoke Ranch, and the event was expected to raise at least $2 million for the Republican National Committee. All of the well-heeled guests have contributed at least $25,000 to the RNC, with some—dubbed “pioneers”—having raised $100,000 or more.
This circle of wealthy Republican Party insiders stands in stark contrast to the families of the young men and women who are being sent to fight and die in Iraq, the overwhelming majority of whom come from poor and working class neighborhoods across America, having joined up to earn money for college, learn a trade or simply find a paying job.
To date, 1,846 men and women have been killed since the US invaded Iraq in March 2003. The death toll has been growing for National Guard and Reserve troops in particular, with 100 killed since May 1. The month of August has been the bloodiest yet, with more guardsmen and reservists killed in combat in the first 10 days of the month—at least 32—than in any full month of the entire war.
These deaths included six Marine reservists who were killed by small arms fire near the town of Haditha, in western Iraq, on August 1. Two days later, 14 Marine Reserve troops from Ohio were killed in a roadside bomb that destroyed their amphibious assault vehicle.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/aug2005/shee-a13.shtml
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