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Iraq war protest leader
departs camp outside Bush ranch

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Mariam Weiss holds a candle to show her support for Cindy Sheehan, the mother of Army Specialist Casey Sheehan.

Crawford, Texas / AFP
08/19/05

Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son died in Iraq , said Thursday she was leaving the protest she has been leading against the conflict outside President George W. Bush's ranch for family reasons.

Sheehan said her mother had suffered a stroke and that she was leaving the anti-war protest outside Bush's ranch to visit her mother in California .
"I'll be back as soon as possible," Sheehan, 48, told reporters.

"We have other Goldstar Mothers here and family members to speak out and they'll continue the mission while we're gone," Sheehan, who has become an icon for the US anti-war movement, said.

Sheehan has called the protest site here Camp Casey in honor of her late son who died serving with the US military in Iraq in April 2004. Up to 100 demonstrators have supported the demonstration.

Ann Wright, one of the organizers of the camp, said more than 500 people were expected to join the protest this weekend. Crowds outside the ranch swelled to almost double that number last weekend, including Bush supporters who faced off with the anti-war people.

Sheehan had said she would remain outside Bush' ranch until he agreed to meet with her so she could personally communicate her demand that the 138,000 American troops in Iraq be brought home.

"The president has said that he sympathizes with Ms Sheehan. He has met with her before," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Thursday.

"He appreciates the opportunities that he has to meet with families of the fallen and families that have men and women, sons and daughters, and mothers and fathers that are serving in the war on terror. He's listened to the views of people like Ms Sheehan and he respects them, but he disagrees."

The US anti-war movement appears to be gaining momentum. Wednesday, more than 1,500 anti-war gatherings were staged around the country, including more than 100 people outside the White House.