As expected, President Bush announced today that tours of duty for American forces in Iraq would be shortened to 12 months from 15. But he gave no indication that there would be significant troop withdrawals before he left office, predicting more sacrifices “for some time to come.” Earlier today, former Secretary of State Colin Powell echoed recent concerns of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (noted in our editorial today) that high troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be sustained without hurting military readiness. Powell said that whichever candidate becomes president next year “will face a military force that cannot continue to sustain 140,000 people deployed in Iraq and the 20 (thousand) odd or 25,000 people we have deployed in Afghanistan and our other deployments.”
Poor Roy Williams just can’t win. Five years on, some University of Kansas fans can’t find it in their hearts to forgive him for leaving KU basketball for North Carolina — not even after KU’s drubbing of North Carolina in the Final Four game. Now some North Carolina fans are howling mad at Williams for his gracious gesture of wearing a KU logo sticker on his shirt during Kansas’ championship game Monday against Memphis. Williams’ critics need to cut him some slack.
“There is no question the war in Iraq — like the Cold War, World War II and every other conflict we have fought in our history — costs money,†Sens. John Lieberman, I-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote in a commentary in the Wall Street Journal. “But as great as the costs of this struggle have been, so too are the dividends to our national security from a successful outcome, with a functioning, representative Iraqi government and a stabilized Middle East. The costs of abandoning Iraq to our enemies, conversely, would be enormous, not only in dollars, but in human lives and in the security and freedom of our nation.â€
Sedgwick County grand jury wants to review George Tiller’s medical records to determine whether he has performed illegal late-term abortions. His lawyers say that will violate patient privacy, even if identifying information is redacted. During Tuesday’s nearly three-hour hearing of the records case before the Kansas Supreme Court, one exchange between an attorney and a justice was enlightening:
“There is no blanket privilege to have all identifying information excluded,†said David Lowden of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, arguing the grand jury’s side.
“There is no blanket authority for the state to have any information they want,†responded Justice Lee Johnson.
Few were surprised this week to see Wichita State University lose its talented athletic director, Jim Schaus, to Ohio University. Schaus was a go-getter when he came to WSU — just the bold, enthusiastic leader the university needed to make the necessary tough decisions about hiring, firing, old Levitt Arena, football and more. Especially once the renovated and renamed Koch Arena opened in 2003 and Mark Turgeon’s Shockers made the Sweet 16 in 2006, it seemed a question of time before Schaus would depart. His legacy will be his clear vision and great expectations for WSU sports.
WSU president Don Beggs’ choice to succeed Schaus, government relations director Eric Sexton, came as a surprise. But Sexton’s record at WSU, extensive work in the community and dedication to WSU and Wichita are all impressive. Even if Sexton wasn’t the obvious replacement for Schaus, he could prove the right one.
Still marveling over Mario Chalmers’ miracle shot? Kansas City Star editorial cartoonist Lee Judge took it to the next logical step.
As expected, President Bush announced today that tours of duty for American forces in Iraq would be shortened to 12 months from 15. But he gave no indication that there would be significant troop withdrawals before he left office, predicting more sacrifices “for some time to come.” Earlier today, former Secretary of State Colin Powell echoed recent concerns of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (noted in our editorial today) that high troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be sustained without hurting military readiness. Powell said that whichever candidate becomes president next year “will face a military force that cannot continue to sustain 140,000 people deployed in Iraq and the 20 (thousand) odd or 25,000 people we have deployed in Afghanistan and our other deployments.”
