My son served a year in Iraq with the 189th Transportation Company Nebraska National Guard from Wayne and Norfolk. I am speaking today as a member of a military family against sending more troops into the midst of Iraq's civil war and in favor of bringing our troops home now and taking care of them when they get there.

I spoke words similar to these in September when my son was still serving in Iraq. At that time, I quoted a friend of his, a fellow soldier, who said, "Please stress that people can oppose the war and support the troops. Those are two different things, and as soldiers we feel one of the things we are fighting for is the right of people to oppose their government in a democratic way." His words remind us that exercising this right is our responsibility. It is what we do when we come here today, when we speak out, and when we insist that the policy in Iraq be worthy of the sacrifice of our soldiers.

We have heard from the Iraq Study Group, the National Intelligence Community, military leaders in Iraq, and the American people who believe that the status quo is wrong. We know that the war in Iraq has put a strain on our National Guard units across this country. We have seen reports about American soldiers who have been injured or maimed, and we know that in this war which has required so much from so few, too many soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Our own Senator Hagel, a Republican, says, "It is wrong to put American troops in the middle of a tribal sectarian civil war for which there is no U.S. military solution." Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, says, "A delay in congressional action will guarantee that more American soldiers will die. Those who voted for the war, those who voted to continue to support the war and those who voted to continue funding the war can all surely vote to stop the war and do what's right for our military personnel and nation. Not in 2008 or 2009, but now." And the late Molly Ivins said, "We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"

Thank you for coming out today to do just that.