11:17 PM EDT on Wednesday, September 14, 2005

By KATRINA A. JACKSON
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, who camped outside President Bush's Texas ranch, led a rally and candlelight vigil Wednesday as a part of her 42-city tour across the country.

"This was a war that was based on lies," Sheehan said to a crowd of more than 50 people. "It was wrong for us to invade Iraq. It's wrong for us to occupy Iraq and we need to bring our troops home."

Sheehan's "Bring Them Home Now" tour was launched in Crawford, Texas, on Aug. 31 and culminates in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24 with an anti-war rally. Her 24-year-old son was a soldier who died in Iraq.

Sheehan said turnout for her tour in "so-called red states" that voted for Bush has been better than expected.

"I'm here in South Carolina because these are the people who need to hear this message," she said.

Not all at the rally agreed.

A handful of protesters held signs that read "Sheehan does not speak for me" and "Support the Troops" at the rally.

Ruth Russell, the wife of an active duty soldier at Fort Jackson in Columbia, said Sheehan's message dishonors the troops.

"Her statements are aiding and abetting the enemy by giving them the impression that the United States does not have the will to continue," Russell said, "You can say you support the soldiers, but you cannot support the soldiers if you don't support the mission."

Amy Proctor, who is also the wife of an active duty soldier at Fort Jackson, said Sheehan's statements are untrue.

"Her sentiments are that it's an unjust war, which are blatantly false and that this war is based on a lie, which is totally false," Proctor said, "Our soldiers are over there making a difference, saving lives and making incredible changes that we don't even hear about."

Sheehan, who toured the U.S. Gulf Coast this week, also criticized the president's slow response after Hurricane Katrina.

"All you have to do is look at New Orleans to see how vulnerable he's made our country," Sheehan said.

A recent poll by Time magazine found about six in 10 Americans favor a partial withdrawal of troops from Iraq to help with storm cleanup.

"That's democracy," Sheehan said. "He should be doing the will of the people."