“I don't think that their presence was ever really a concern of ours, so I don't think our position is going to change because of it. We're going to do what we're going to do.”

— Mary Ryan, sales clerk, Lawrence

“No. Bush will probably just use this to sell his troop increase. It all depends on what his people tell him to do.”

— Andy Fitzgerald, West Junior High School ninth-grader, Lawrence

“I think that it would have to. For reasons of both manpower, which seems to be our biggest problem, and I can't imagine that it wouldn't affect international opinion with them being our ally from the start.”

— Jacqueline Victor, cheese specialist, Lawrence

“I would say probably not. It seems like we've made the decision to stay until we think the job is done, and I don't think other countries' decisions or involvement will change that.”

— Jeff Smith, musician, Los Angeles