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The five-year anniversary of the Iraq War passed last month.
According to a recent CNN poll, 61 percent of Americans want to see the next President bring most troops home within a few months. In the midst of a presidential debate over what to do in the coming years, the Vets for Freedom tour bus stopped at the statehouse Thursday morning.
Vets for Freedom is a non-partisan organization established by veterans from both the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. They say Iraq is becoming more secure especially after the recent surge. Lieutenant Colonel Steve Russell led the battalion that captured Saddam Hussein in 2003. He realizes public opinion is not on the side of the war, but he says bringing the troops home before the mission is accomplished could be disastrous.
"What we don't want though is people at home saying let's quit while we're on the 7-yard line with a full set of downs about to get this thing in hand."
Russell says Americans need to change the way they look at Iraq, "We need to quit looking at Iraq as an enemy that we can stabilize and abandon and start looking at them as allies that we will stand with as they grow more secure."
Russell says parents of fallen soldiers agree with him despite the fact that growing sentiment in the country is against the war.
"90 percent plus say look I didn't lose my son or daughter so people could lose this war here at home, their sacrifice has to mean something."
Russell is touring the country with Vets for Freedom, because he believes the War has to be fought not only in Iraq but in the United States against public opinion.
Tomorrow the Vets for Freedom tour bus will take their message to Charlotte.
