Bush supporters, opponents converge

CRAWFORD, Texas -- Three months after Cindy Sheehan led a 26-day anti-war vigil near President Bush's ranch, peace activists and Bush supporters converged again Saturday for dueling rallies.

Sheehan, whose 24-year-old Casey died in Iraq, called for anti-war activists to return to Crawford this week as Bush celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. The war opponents' camp is at the same 1-acre private lot that a landowner let them use in August when Sheehan's original campsite became too crowded.

"Nobody knew what was going to happen, and we made up Camp Casey as we went along, and it grew and grew and grew," said Sheehan. "But we're here to say that the killing has to stop, that we're not going to justify any more killing on our losses. And we're not going away."

Meanwhile, father Gary Qualls, who lost his Marine son Louis in Iraq last year, was among hundreds of Bush supporters who wanted to counter anti-war demonstrators with their own demonstration. Qualls, who also led a pro-Bush rally in August, said the anti-war demonstration is disrespectful to soldiers and hurtful to troop morale.

"Our sons and daughters have given the ultimate sacrifice, and they deserve nothing less than pure honor and pure respect," Qualls said.

On Friday, activists unveiled a stone monument bearing the words "Sheehan's Stand." The names of two dozen soldiers whose families were part of the vigil are engraved on the back. The monument stands at the Crawford Peace House, which opened a month after the war began.

in March 2003.