23 February 2006

Ack! She's Coming Here!

* * * scroll down for updates * * *

Household6 at Patiently Waiting has just pointed me to this Stripes article about a planned Cindy Sheehan protest at Landstuhl on 11 March.

More information on counter protest activities to follow.

Cindy's goals:

“Cindy will be with us at Camp Casey Landstuhl/Ramstein to call attention to the fact that Germany is Europe’s logistical hub for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and others threatening Iran and the Middle East,” according to an event flier. “Germany has the power to stop the further use of U.S. bases in Germany for illegal wars and criminal methods of warfare — the power and the right to just say no!”
( ... )
Sheehan’s goals are to bring the troops home and have peace on earth, she said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes.


The role of the EU:

Beginning March 9, Sheehan’s European visit will take her to Frankfurt, Aachen, Landstuhl and Ramstein in Germany. On March 13, Sheehan is scheduled to have a news conference in Paris, and the following day will address the European Union parliament in Strasbourg, France.

A protest organizer in Landstuhl said he was asked by others, including some of the 732 members of the European Union parliament, to arrange the protest involving Sheehan.

“The meeting with Cindy Sheehan is coming to us by an offer of members of the European Union in Strasbourg,” said Detlev Besier, a Protestant reverend in Landstuhl. “They asked whether it was possible or not to visit Ramstein Air Base and the hospital. It was not our idea. We were asked whether it was possible or not.”



What the soldiers think:

When asked for comment Wednesday on Sheehan’s upcoming visit, several soldiers in Kaiserslautern asked if they could be quoted anonymously.

One soldier, who recently returned from Iraq, did give his name but didn’t have much to say about Sheehan.

“Anything I would have to say about her, you couldn’t print,” Army Staff Sgt. Mark Genthner said.


Update:
More at Iraq War Today.
Greyhawk with The Circus Is Coming To Town.
Sheehag Takes Anti-War Crap to Germany from The Gunn Nutt.
Blackfive: Cindy Sheehan wants our wounded to die.

Update 2: I've had some informative email and telephone conversations with others in Germany since posting this. Check back for updates, and email me if you'd like to participate in the welcome party.

Update 3: For regularly updated information on the welcome party in German and English see stefan-prystawik.de (scroll down for English).

Also check for updates in English at David's Medienkritik and right here at Soldiers' Angels Germany.

To receive information by email, join the Counter Sheehan in Germany mailing list by clicking here.

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