Sarandon Fights For Returning Soldiers' Rights

Susan Sarandon is using press interviews for back-to-back movies SHALL WE DANCE? and Alfie to promote a new cause aimed at helping soldiers returning from the war in Iraq.

The Dead Man Walking actress has become a spokeswoman for OPERATION TRUTH, and is urging fans to visit the organisation's website www.optruth.com.

Sarandon jumped at the chance to help out because she fears returning heroes are suffering at home.

She says, "They just want people to understand what's really happening because they don't feel anybody really does.

"They can talk to each other on the website and they want people to understand what their needs are and what they need when they get back, because there have been these huge budget cuts."

The actress adds the website will also help those still undecided about who to vote for in the presidential elections in November (04) make a decision.

She explains, "Forty per cent of the forces over there now are National guardsmen and reservists and when they come back they're not protected the way the other guys are, and a lot of them are firefighters and policemen.

"We're not protected. There aren't any National guardsmen throwing sandbags down in Florida for the hurricanes. It's because 90 per cent of them are now in Iraq."