Bingowings said:

I'm not sure it would 'solve' anything.

Surely a source of much of Anakin's later anti-Jedi sentiment stems from them not doing enough to save her and seeming to forbid him from seeing her???

If Anakin freed her before Episode 2 he would be filled with self loathing rather than resentment (she would have not have been captured by the sand people if she was still Watto's slave).

It makes more sense if the Jedi bought her freedom (which is the least they could do) but prevented Anakin from hanging around her and making an attachment outside the order.

That way the Jedi don't look like total jerks but Anakin still has enough material to build a grudge with.

If you make Geonosis into Tatooine Anakin has a multiple good reasons for being there (rescuing Obi-Wan, rescuing his Mother, rescuing the slaves as in his dream). it even buys the Jedi a bit of time from Anakin's anger if they stage a planetary liberation of his homeworld. It also explains why the Jedi are too late to save his mother (the planet is an occupied territory)... heck it even explains why old timers still don't like droids in their bars come ANH.

Yeah, I hate the Jedi idea of no attachment, so I kind of view them freeing Shmi as a huge solution. How can we root for an organization that bans the love of a mother and son?