Asked at Massachusetts Street on January 9, 2007

“I think everybody already knows what they’re to be. I think he’s going to increase the number of troops, and that’s not what people want to see. They want a diplomatic approach first and only increase the troops if we have to.”

— Jamel Sandidge, business owner, rural Lawrence

“Not really. I’m kind of sick of him. I don’t understand his reasoning in light of the Iraq Study Group’s report.”

— Larissa Brown, Ottawa University senior, Ottawa

“Sure. I’m interested to hear what he has to say and to keep up on the politics of the situation.”

— Greg Ward, business owner, Tonganoxie

“No. I think it’s beyond the point where initiating a new policy will help. I think it’s like trying to melt an iceberg, and adding more heat isn’t going to make a big enough difference. It needs to be more than just sending more troops.”

— Robert Zernickow, disc jockey/pizza chef, Lawrence

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sgtwolverine 6 years, 4 months ago

All I hear is blah, blah, blah ... on both sides.

On a completely different, totally random subject, a Big Lots store in southern Michigan has a burned-out letter on its sign. So, instead of saying Big Lots, their sign says something else entirely.

http://www.burrillstrong.com/wordpress/photos/bigots.jpg

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 6 years, 4 months ago

Don't know much about social security.

sublime 6 years, 4 months ago

I don't think it will matter.The troops will not come home while he is in office.

Unix_Admin 6 years, 4 months ago

I find it appalling when I see on the news this President asking for suggestions and advise about what to do next in Iraq. His lack of leadership and his incompetence is hard to even put into words. This administration has failed the American and the Iraqi people in so many ways with their plans to try and force democracy on a country and a people who I believe aren't interested. To go to war with no real plan except for "well, if we get Saddam, we will be able to establish a democracy" is short sighted at best. I think we are going to find out in the near future that Iraq was not the big threat to our national security that this administration thought they were. The pink elephant is sitting here, does anybody else see it?

oldgranny 6 years, 4 months ago

I could care less. This won't be settled until he is out of office. He started the whole mess-has no idea how to finish it-and in the end will end up dumping the whole mess on the next president. Because there is no way he is going to admit defeat. He will leave that for the next poor sucker. We should impeach him. But we are to stupid.

bmwjhawk 6 years, 4 months ago

It's always interesting when people are sent far away to die for no reason.

Kyle Rohde 6 years, 4 months ago

Hey Jamel....as stupid as invading Iraq was in the first place, its a little late for a "diplomatic approach."

esubrett 6 years, 4 months ago

What new policy everyone keeps forgetting that we won that war three years ago. Remember the news conference on the aircraft carrier with the big "Mission Accomplished" banner.

samsnewplace 6 years, 4 months ago

The radio said this morning he was planning to deploy 20,000 more troops. Why? I think he should go with them and lead the group. Why send our young men into war and home in body bags, it is pointless. We need to get them all back home, today, and safe. Bush needs a new job now!

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

I'm interested to hear how he phrases things, given that he isn't going to be supported by the new congress to send more troops.

rt: third world? Iraq is a nation swimming in oil and the money from that oil has brought them into a world economy. They don't exactly qualify for "third world" status. As far as them kicking our butts, too bad the President had such a bad plan that he allowed such a failure to happen in the first place. He has been given everything he has asked for up to this point. The President and his administration have failed miserably. So I guess it really is the fault of the liberals. Sigh.

Zombie troop deployment time.

acg 6 years, 4 months ago

I have no desire to hear anything that bumbling moron has to say. It's all lies, anyway, so why even bother? The only thing I take from his speeches is a slight feeling of amusement/sadness at how much of a complete idiot he is. You can see it all over his face. He might as well be wearing a sign.

Speaking of signs, that one was great sgt.

Gootsie 6 years, 4 months ago

Of course I am. One of my best friend's husband is over there. I want him home. I am hoping that when people say they don't care or don't want to hear, they are meaning that they no longer want to hear the BS from the GW, not that they are disinterested in the war.

BIG! OTS - is that bigots or big OTS? Cute catch Sgt!

Bone777 6 years, 4 months ago

I've heard enough of this song. Bring on the next band.

prioress 6 years, 4 months ago

". . .much of a complete idiot he is. You can see it all over his face. He might as well be wearing a sign."

What I like is the little whiny cheerleader voice he uses when he is lying and/or nervous. Listen tomorrow and you'll hear it. It will show up when he talks about the "progress" and the "Iraqi govt. standing up the bad boys.

sgtwolverine 6 years, 4 months ago

Gootsie, I figured the sign now reads bigots. It must be a store for the discriminating consumer.

optimist 6 years, 4 months ago

The rumored plan is for 20,000 combat troops. That would increase the number of combat troops to almost double what is there now. That could have a tremendous impact on the military's efficacy. (80% of the troops there now are not combat arms but support and logistics.)

Simply sending more troops will do nothing. I expect a plan that includes more aggressive tactics toward crushing the insurgency and denying future insurgents access to the country. Anything short of that is destined to be a formula for failure.

It's time to get the job done so our soldiers can return home to the welcome home they deserver for a job well done. That is the best way that we can honor all those who gave their lives for the mission.

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

Larissa Brown, pictured above, says she is sick of Bush and doesn't understand his reasoning. My thoughts on his reasoning: he will definitely go for more troop deployment and when congress turns him down and the war continues and goes from bad to worse, he will be able to blame the Dems. "It's not my fault, they did not approve my plan." Great face saving device, that is.

yankeelady 6 years, 4 months ago

Maybe if he had done this earlier, before things got so much worse. It might be interesting to see how he spins it, but I don't have high expectations. I agree with ms_canada, whatever the outcome it won't be his fault.

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

Something else that has been crossing my mind lately. Two years ago when I started posting OTS, if I said anything against Bush or Cheney, I was threatened with invasion of my country, :o), The attitude of OTS posters has certainly changed judging by todays and other days comments

optimist 6 years, 4 months ago

For those who can't see the difference between deposing a dictator and quashing an insurgency let me give a little historical perspective.

In 1945 WWII ended with surrenders by both Germany and Japan. Neither of which was a true democracy at the time. Following that it took us about 10 years to eradicate the remnants of the previous regimes in both countries, establish stable governments and rebuild their infrastructure. That was the whole purpose behind the Marshall Plan.

Some have asserted that "mission accomplished" isn't true because we are still fighting insurgents in Iraq. By that assertion we didn't actually win WWII in 1945 but several years later after the last soldier died in hostilities or to some degree we still haven't won because we still have military assets there.

The fact is the military accomplished the primary objective, enforcing UN resolution 1440 and removal of Saddam Hussein from power as directed by the commander-in-chief. The rebuilding phase will eventually be won too. The only question is how long will it take? I believe all of the radical opposition by a small group of US citizens who would like us to lose and interference by a small number of politicians in Washington is prolonging this effort by giving strength to the insurgency through propaganda. A united front or at least the appearance of it in this country will serve to weaken the insurgency and end the conflict more quickly. I doubt any of the opposition can shut-up long enough.

pelliott 6 years, 4 months ago

I am interested in what he will say but I can't watch him anymore, those faces he makes, literally make me feel ill. He seems to look nuttier and like a angry baby. It makes me so sad and dispirited to look at that mug while he explains what he has decided to do. I sure hope diplomacy is part of it.

acg 6 years, 4 months ago

Not from this chick ms_c. I wanted to move to your fair land as soon as that idiot was elected, but Canada was all like "noooo, we're not going to take several million Americans just because your new Pres is a moron". So the dude at Immigration told me I had a 4 to 5 year waiting period before I could go. You're always welcome to bash that idiot, as far as I'm concerned. He deserves it, after all. :)

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

Optomist - there is really no comparison between this conflict and WWII. Following 1945 there were not thousands of Japanese insurgent snipers and suicide bombers running around Japan picking off western soldiers and blowing up hundreds, nay, thousands of Japanese. And that goes for Germany as well. If you knew a bit more history of the Middle East you would know that this is not an east vs. west war. It is an east vs east war. This is, essentially a Sunni vs. Shia war. if you could look at a map of Iraq you would see that the Sunni occupy the north west area, the Kurds, the north and the Shia the south east. Where is the oil? You should ask that. Why in the south east, of course. The Shia are the majority in Iraq. They have the support of Shiite Iran. The Sunni have the support of wealthy Sunni/Wahabi Saudi Arabia. The insurgents are not all Iraqi by any means. Have you seen pictures of the mountainous country side of Iraq? Imagine yourself a soldier there trying to pinpoint the location of your enemy in those hills. This is not a war that western armies have known in the past. This war is more like the Vietnam war where the cong hid in tunnels under the ground and popped out to fire or blow up US troops. They were not soldiers in uniform, easily identified like the Japanese or Germans. And what was the outcome of that war?

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

ms-c: "Two years ago when I started posting OTS, if I said anything against Bush or Cheney, I was threatened with invasion of my country."

We sent Ceallach -- she just didn't get the job done! ; )

rt: Sure. The President has been nothing but a shinning light of success. Now, get back to clearing some brush or reading "My Pet Goat." It will make you feel better after all of us keep telling such awful lies about probably the best President the world -- not just our country -- has ever known. Heck of a job, Mr. President, heck of a job.

merrill 6 years, 4 months ago

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/4354269.stm

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

Bea - it really was not ceallach's fault, she was overwhelmed by the beauty of my city and our wonderful folk music festival. But listen, bea, if you would like to try to complete the job, welcome, bienvenue and all those niceties in both official languages

feeble 6 years, 4 months ago

I love the language of Washington, "insurgency" is just so much sexier than, say, "Civil War."

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

merrill - very interesting article. Shows just how ignorant we all are about the machinations that go on behind the scenes. Watch out for those neo-cons. :o)

deec 6 years, 4 months ago

And...there it is. If you don't agree with me, you must be a ...terrorist!

Mkh 6 years, 4 months ago

Just about an hour ago Ted Kennedy announced a new bill to be introduced to Congress which would require Congressional approval for all troop increases.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/09/democrats.iraq.funding/index.html

merrill 6 years, 4 months ago

The questions becomes when if ever will the British and american oil giants allow american family members aka as USA military to come home from the mideast?Taxpayers paying for the military to provide security around the world to protect oil operations whether in the Mideast or Columbia seems a bit absurd. I've had a suspicion or two that the DEA war on drugs is really money to protect oil lines in Columbia.

There is a new oil pipeline running across Afghanistan into an Israeli port. Who does anyone think is providing security for that very expensive jewel? Or maybe poppy fields are allowed to flourish so long as oil pipelines are not destroyed?

James Baker III ISG conviently promotes privatization of Iraq oil.

deec 6 years, 4 months ago

I thought it was politicians willing to rape the constitution to maintain power and maximize multinational corporations' profits.

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

right thinker - I can see nothing right about your thinking. Do not be fooled by those that would claim safety of America is dependant upon a win in Iraq. The insurgents have no thought to do any damage on this side of the big pond. They are just too busy fighting each other.

sgtwolverine 6 years, 4 months ago

Hey, whoa, I just zombied onto that idea after it was proposed. I didn't think I'd have my name attached to it!

Also, the biggest danger to America is America.

deec 6 years, 4 months ago

Pathetic allegiance to a failed political agenda, which has bankrupted our treasury, squandered the goodwill of the world, caused increased hatred of America, violated the most sacred portions of the constitution, destabilized the Middle East, is not the fault of the left. The Shrub and his cadre of followers are responsible, not the left.

deec 6 years, 4 months ago

Funny, I didn't see the news reports on terrorists shooting up church creches. Or maybe Santas were kidnapped from shopping malls and held for ransom. Were IEDs placed inside churches during Christmas services?

sgtwolverine 6 years, 4 months ago

"Imhotep..."

Oops, wait, sorry. Different zombies.

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

TOB, I wasn't responsible for the zombie army concept either. That was all Das_Ubermime who skillfully side-tracked our political discussion with talk of zombie armies. I just ran with it. I only wonder, where is Das_U today, when we obviously need him most?

scenebooster: "War on Christmas." Gives a whole new meaning to being "kissed beneath the missile toe."

sgt: Imhotep -- the name of the earliest known architect, responsible for the first Pyramid in Egypt -- the Bent Pyramid of King Djoser. I learned that from watching a documentary on Al-Jazeera.

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

"DRAINS, DRAINS!" (zombie plumber)

Agnostick 6 years, 4 months ago

I'm interested in seeing Osama Bin Laden led down Pennsylvania Avenue on a dog leash... crawling on all fours, naked, every hair removed from his body.

Once upon a time, the "War on Terrorism" actually had something to do with capturing and killing terrorists; today, "Dead or Alive" merely refers to the current state of a fat KBR contract.

Agnostick agnostick@excite.com

JayCat_67 6 years, 4 months ago

What? Rob Zombie joined the army? Huh?!??

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 6 years, 4 months ago

T_O_B, "I still think the biggest danger to America is Sarge and Bea's woefully bad zombie idea. You don't unzombie America once that gets going."

Very true T_O_B, One you mess with the Na+/K+ pump cellular mechanism in a zombie, it's just like how Thomas Wolfe phrased it.... "You Can't Go Home Again" Ban Salt... . . Now just to make sure .... We are talking about the domestication, passification, and generally cow like attitude of the American Population. The same citizens who say "It's a bad thing this (insert whatever), but will not call/write/email their representitives. The same population with a 65% voter particpation. The citizens of America who seem in great numbers to embrace ignorance and apathy (The "I don't know, and I don't care" syndrome). America, land of the afraid.

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

rt hates democrats. I think we got the message. Next.

Gootsie 6 years, 4 months ago

So shouldn't rt call them Damocrats?

Shall we say, "Dem, Bea!"

Oh the dilenemas of life.

drewdun 6 years, 4 months ago

Right-wing terrorist is a relevant term here, as well; its you, rt.

Its you.

Trash.

drewdun 6 years, 4 months ago

I also liked this gem: "I believe all of the radical opposition by a small group of US citizens who would like us to lose and interference by a small number of politicians in Washington is prolonging this effort by giving strength to the insurgency through propaganda." - optimist

"Those surveyed oppose the idea of increased troop levels by 61%-36%. Approval of the job Bush is doing in Iraq has sunk to 26%, a record low. "

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-01-08-gallup-poll_x.htm

It must be hard watching your political messiah fail so badly, when you fascist wannabes supported him so mightily. That would explain the extreme delusion present in the comments of the Reich wingers. Like this...

"A united front or at least the appearance of it in this country will serve to weaken the insurgency and end the conflict more quickly. I doubt any of the opposition can shut-up long enough" - optimist

First off, I can tell that you are really smart. Like, really smart. Second, have you heard of this little thing called the Constitution? Check it out sometime, its pretty interesting, especially the First Amendment. And by the way, YOU ARE THE OPPOSITION NOW. The Dems control Congress, and the American public is strongly against the war, any increase in troops, and especially Bush. Once again, it must hurt your pathetic little right-wing egos to know that what you believe in is such a crock of s#%&, and is being proved as much for all to see. But keep on posting here - comedy is always welcome.

HHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA

ms_canada 6 years, 4 months ago

pilgrim - just read your 4:10pm post. A presence in Germany, yes and the Marshall plan in the Far East. Too bad there is not a Marshall plan in the Middle East. There are no flowers in Iraq, just bullets and bombs for the troops. This is entirely different. Germans were not fighting against themselves.
A word to right thinker - you are new to this board. I have been here a while and I remember when it was the repubs who were lambasting the dems a couple of years ago. Take heart laddie or lassie as the case may be. It will all blow over. Things will settle down. If we just wait and see what happens. I believe the dems do not have too great a track record. Since I am not a US citizen, I have no say but as a third party I have a better perspective on the situation. It will all come out in the wash. Take heart dear laddie You have to have a thick skin on this forum.

jimincountry 6 years, 4 months ago

Being Dems or liberals isn't reason to be hated..... being Ted Kennedy, Howard Dean, Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Chas Schumer, John Kerry, Al Gore (pretty much in that order) IS!

jimincountry 6 years, 4 months ago

PS: not including Repubs or conservatives just now! I do understand some dislike for them too!

jimincountry 6 years, 4 months ago

Another PS: The ACLU deserves some dislike for the causes they espouse.

jonas 6 years, 4 months ago

Was no one else shut out of their internet all day? I couldn't get any pages to come up at all.

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

Gootsie: "Shall we say, 'Dem, Bea!'" -- LOVE IT!!! Well done girl!

rt, the reason people fire ugly things at you is because you constantly -- and I do mean constantly -- tell others who they are and what they think. If someone says they don't like the war, that means they are a far leftie and they Hate Bush! If they don't like the new medicare program -- Bush Hating Lefty! Don't like his appointments -- B.H.L.! I think you get the point.

I can tell you, I don't hate Bush. I hate his policies. Do you see the difference? You are so busy defending that you refuse to think that other people have different points of view, but that doesn't mean they all hate others.

Instead of trying to label others, why not just state your opinions. We can all determine for ourselves whether somebody is a lefty terrorist sympothizer, or a right-wing fanatical fascist.

That is just my suggestion. Peace.

tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 4 months ago

Posted by right_thinker (anonymous) on January 9, 2007 at 6:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Drewdun, please do not call me "trash" again or I will contact LJW management

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!! I have seen you write far far worse things to many people on here. Geez some people can dish it out but they sure can't take it.

Cry baby.

budwhysir 6 years, 4 months ago

Politicaly speaking, yes I like to hear the plans. I believe we will see the speach on every major channel when it is on.

budwhysir 6 years, 4 months ago

hmmm

budwhysir 6 years, 4 months ago

for one I am a channel flipper, I do not like to devote to much time on one channel in fear of developing a complex left and right wing hop scotch contest. Clear views are best in a center wing process but this cannot be acheived easily.

merrill 6 years, 4 months ago

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2132467.ece

beatrice 6 years, 4 months ago

rt: ".....why not just state your opinions."- Beatrice

OK, many people do not like George W. Bush, since day one. Many of these people think he was installed by a conservative Supreme Court and has no mandate. Many of these people think... "

Again, all you are doing is making claims about what OTHERS think. State what you think! If you don't hold those opinions, just say so. If you think Bush was completely deserving of being President, and that the Supreme Court was placed in a difficult decision and in your opinion they chose the correct path, than say so. Why must it be, "some people think ..?" What do you think?

You close with, "Thats's some of my opinion. Unlike many others on this forum, there are unspeakable things I would love to say to each and every one of them but I do not."

Oh really? Are you being honest with yourself? Just recently I saw where you wrote, "I hate liberals." and something to the effect that all liberals are going to hell. I don't have the exact quote, but I could find it.

Hate is a pretty unspeakable opinion to have about other people who you don't actually know. Think about it. Besides that -- find another hobby. The constant writing about how you dislike liberal thought can't be healthy. When was the last time you just added something like a simple, "I saw that movie. Loved it."?

deec 6 years, 4 months ago

I am bemused that nearly every political thread on this forum ends up with some tighty rightie accusing everybody else of bigotry and insults. This is usually instigated by the same tighty rightie who posts insults/innuendo/rude comments in nearly every post they make, and usually occurs when actual facts are posted by others to support their views.

tenstring 6 years, 4 months ago

It is, I suppose, interesting but also nauseating that "right-winger" types have no facts to support their claims, only some vague notion about what they believe to be true. No serious investigation of the facts is needed in this view, only a louder and more insulting reiteration of their dogmatic views.

As for Bush and his policies, I think he's violated the law many times over and that needs to be investigated. The central question that needs to be addressed is, "Is anyone making money off this war in Iraq? Who? How much? Are these profiteers making the policy?"

Howl away if you must, but there is a reality and it doesn't care what any of us say or do, it simply exists.

prioress 6 years, 4 months ago

You far-lefties and Bush haters think you run this forum---let me remind you, you don't.

Interesting. The LJW runs this sandbox; no one has any 'rights' here; there is no 'free speech' here; the LJW staff can do whatever they want with the forum or ban any identity who posts here. So what?

Agnostick 6 years, 4 months ago

Pilgrim writes:

"Um, no. The United States had an occupational presence in Germany up to six years after the unconditional surrender. They weren't there because the citizenry was showering them with flowers."

Geez, where do I start...????

1) Hitler gave up and committed suicide, showing himself, in the end, to be nothing more than a coward. Saddam had to be hunted down--his imprisonment and subsequent execution made him into an inspiring martyr for people.

And then there's the inconvenient little truth that Osama Bin Laden is still broadcasting "Total Jihad Live!" on Al Jazeera, something neither Hitler nor Mussolini did after the war had ended.

2) The remnants of the Nazis scattered to the winds, went underground, escaped to Brazil and other points around the globe. As far as I know (and you're more than welcome to document my errors on this), you didn't have "Nazi Terrorists" sneaking into Germany from Denmark, Netherlands, France, Switzerland etc., making sniper attacks on Allied Occupation Forces, or blowing up troops and equipment with IEDs. Unlike Iraq, the German border was SECURE.

3) As you pointed out, Germany--their leaders, what was left of their military, their citizens--signed an unconditional surrender. Iraq has not signed an unconditional surrender with us, largely because...

4) Unlike Germany in 1941, the United States has never issued a formal declaration of war with Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other countries Bush's so-called "Axis of Evil." The last time the United States issued a formal declaration of war with anybody was June 5, 1942 (Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary).

If anybody wants to try to draw any parallels between Iraq and World War II, consider the fact that by 1941, Japan had spent about 10 years evolving into a militaristic society. Like today's jihadists, Japanese soldiers gleefully gave their lives for their Emperor.

Agnostick agnostick@excite.com

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