Cindy Sheehan Hospitalized

'Peace Mom' Had Been Fasting For More Than A Month

(AP)  Peace mom Cindy Sheehan spent the night in a hospital for a gynecological procedure and treatment of dehydration but said Saturday that wouldn't stop her protest against the Iraq war on land she bought near President Bush's Crawford ranch.

Sheehan was listed in stable condition at Providence Health Center in Waco, about 20 miles east of Crawford.

She said she could be released later in the day but probably would miss an afternoon barbecue at Camp Casey, the protesters' campsite named for her soldier son who was killed in Iraq in 2004.

"Everything will still go on," Sheehan, 49, told The Associated Press. "I hope I can get there soon."

The anti-war demonstration is to continue through Sept. 3, although Mr. Bush's 10-day ranch vacation is to end Sunday.

Sheehan returned to Texas on Friday after a few days in Seattle at the Veterans for Peace convention. She planned to resume the war protest she started Aug. 6, the first anniversary of the beginning of her 26-day peace vigil that drew thousands of anti-war demonstrators and spurred counter demonstrations by Bush supporters.

Instead, friends took her from the airport to the hospital. After being on a liquid diet as part of the nationwide "Troops Home Fast" hunger strike, Sheehan had been treated at a Seattle emergency room Thursday, and ate for the first time in about 37 days, said her spokeswoman Tiffany Burns.

Doctors in Waco stopped uterine bleeding, gave her a blood transfusion and planned a biopsy, she said. Sheehan was dehydrated again Friday, but said it was probably from the bleeding.

Sheehan paid for a 5-acre lot about 7 miles from Mr. Bush's ranch last month so protesters would have a place to gather while the president is at his ranch. Last year, she started out camped in ditches along the road leading to Mr. Bush's ranch, until county officials banned roadside parking and camping. A sympathetic landowner then let the group gather on his 1-acre lot near the ranch.

[miltarywife]

Open your eyes people, they want to destroy us. The divide that is happening in our country is just what they want and need to defeat us. I proudly support our wars and will stand proud and salute all of our soldiers. God Bless them all. Cindy needs to stop dishonoring her son's name. It is obvious he did not have the same beliefs as his mother. Time for her to get a grip on life and see they want us all dead. Take a look at this site and you will see: http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Muslim-Religion-of-Peach-Demonstration.htm

[miltarywife]

Open your eyes people, they want to destroy us. The divide that is happening in our country is just what they want and need to defeat us. I proudly support our wars and will stand proud and salute all of our soldiers. God Bless them all. Cindy needs to stop dishonoring her son's name. It is obvious he did not have the same beliefs as his mother. Time for her to get a grip on life and see they want us all dead. Take a look at this site and you will see: http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Muslim-Religion-of-Peach-Demonstration.htm

[liberalkelly]

i absolutely stand by what i said yesterday about mrs. sheehan being a great american. the biggest part of being an american patriot is questioning what our leaders give to us as law. if we didn't, then where would we be?? oh, that's right- right where we are today. we are being dictated, people. we are being told what we can write, what we can believe and being called unpatriotic and worthy of a timely death simply because we question our leaders and dare to take them to task. the very fact that my comment on this site was reguarded with such hostility is proof positive that this country is now STEEPED IN FEAR and loathing for anything that is true or radical. this woman makes me proud to be american, if she is without the right to grieve in her own way and to fight for her own liberties then aren't we all just subject to george's whims? it made me sick to read the rebuttals to my simple comment, although i knew that the reception would not be a grand one- i expected better. too much maybe to expect from a country who re-elected the greatest TYRANT of our time.

regarding the message about cindy sheehan being a great American, i wouldn't even give substance to anyone who would consider this traitor as anything but what she is. as far as what she is doing, she is giving hope and help to our enemies. there is NO way she is honoring her son's memory! he was proud to serve his country and his mother is making a mockery of everything he fought for and believed in. and, anybody who could write and not have the moral terpitude to capitalize God and Lord, has there own set of problems. even if the writer made a good point (which they absolutely didn't!) how could anyone trust anything they said? i do agree with the comment in another message about not judging whether she would end up in Hell. i apologize for that comment. i am just so frustrated that we are considering our soldiers as evil killers and making media heroes out of true evil-doers like ms. sheehan that i let my choice of words say something that is not my place. i do believe that she will be judged. however, the outcome of that is not mine to decide. thank you for calling me on that point.

[tedr1946]

I am a Nam Vet. My doughter is a Gulf War Vet. My mother supported me when I was in Nam. I supported my doughter when she was in the gulf. Cindy Sheehan did not loose any thing. Her son lost his mother and her support. If she wants to go on a hunger strike, let her. The sooner she dies, the better.

[gabykat7]

One of the comments was exactly what I am feeling that we are fighting terrorists and we are fighting in more countries than Iraq. We hear mostly about Iraq in the news because the media is trying to get the people to believe that we are doing the wrong thing. We have not been attacked since 9/11 and most people are feeling comfortable in their day to day lives. It is amazing that the CIA and FBI and other organizations were able to stop the terrorists this week from blowing up as many as 10 planes. If they had not been stopped, President Bush would have been blamed from not doing his job, instead it was stopped and the media turns it around to make it look like we are under attack because of the war in Iraq. It is a no win situation with the media. This woman is a disgrace to her family and most her son who fought for her freedom to act like an idiot. Casey's father raised him and his mother had little to do with him as a child yet now she is "the perfect mother" acting so silly. Freedom of speech is wonderful but sometimes you can show how stupid you really are by your actions.

[cecilll1]

She did not even have the fortitude to make the purchase herself; instead, a friend purchased it on her behalk and told the seller that he was a hurrican Katrina evacuee! How low can you go? I can't say what her motivation is for all of this, but I have to believe that a large part is the spotlight that follows her around. I hope she continues to fast until we have world peace. Maybe she can up the ante and abstain from liquids as well!

[zollypops]

Oh. and Cindy ,Please go back to California,We TEXANS don't want you here.

[zollypops]

As a Nam vet I know about antiwar.There was good reason for it in our war.But,I am sorry people you have no choice here,and it is not our government who has the say so.WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED and WE WILL BE ATTACKED AGAIN,as you have seen by the past 2 days news.WAKE UP AMERICANS,before you have to worry every time you walk out your door that a bomb may go off.

[honorleaders]

I couldn't agree more with starwarsfan2 on most points. I refuse, though, to judge whether she will go to Heaven or Hell. God instructs us not to judge others or we ourselves will be judged and let he that is without sin cast the first stone. I do agree she is doing a great injustice to Casey's memory. If he had been forced to join the military then she might have a genuine "beef". She has the right to protest. I believe as does starwarsfan2 that in being divided and showing that to the enemy, we are certainly encouraging them to continue. I do not agree with her decision to starve herself as support of her "cause". Whether we agree with our leaders or not, we should support them. Those of who understand know that they are there for a purpose and the Bible asks us to pray for them daily. I think we should bring back serious punishment for the undermining of our leaders -- bluntly put, it's treason!