Long Islanders are split over President George W. Bush's plan to send thousands more troops to war-torn Iraq.

Bush told the nation Wednesday night that more than 20,000 additional soldiers will be sent to the Iraq, with the first wave deployed by the end of January. Bush also admitted he made a mistake by not sending more troops the first time, saying, "where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me." The president pushed for an additional $1 billion in aid to rebuild Iraq.

Several Long Islanders say they support the increase on the ground to quell increasing violence between Shiites and Sunnis. However, the organization LI Alliance says pumping more U.S. soldiers into Iraq is an approach that failed in the past. One Hicksville woman says too many military members have died in Iraq and the president should be focusing on a troop withdrawal.