Last month, I had the privilege of traveling to Iraq to visit the incredible men and women serving in the United States military. It was a profound experience that left me with a deep sense of gratitude, pride and hope.

While in Iraq, I experienced the harshness of the circumstances under which our soldiers are living. Being in a war zone is an almost surreal experience. Imagine anything you have ever seen on television, in the movies or in newspapers depicting war — being on the ground in a war zone in Baghdad and Balad is incredibly more dramatic and intense.

I traveled with four other Members of Congress. We rode for hours on C-130 planes, strapped to the same uncomfortable seats in which our military men and women travel into war. We slept in military beds, ate in chow halls and in Baghdad traveled through a “red zone” (an unsafe, unsecured area) in humvees, all the while wearing approximately 30 pounds of heavy protective armor.

I have always believed we as lawmakers have a responsibility to listen to our military commanders on the ground and trust in their first-hand experience of battle. During my time in Iraq, that is just what I did – listen. I met American generals, Iraqi police, State Department officials, military medical teams, officers and enlisted men and women, including several out of the hundreds of Wyoming’s own sons and daughters.

I asked the same three questions of everyone I met while in Iraq. I asked how the current U.S. political debate affected their efforts, how we were doing on the ground and if we were making progress.

The people with whom I spoke told me frankly that the debate in Washington over troop withdrawal and the lack of support for the war hurts morale. They said it makes their jobs harder and diminishes their overall chance of success in Iraq. They do not understand how opponents of the war can say they support the troops, but not the war. The soldiers are proud of their jobs, their work in Iraq and their country. They see their jobs and the war as, understandably, linked.

Each person with whom I spoke said that while the situation in Iraq remained critical, real progress is being made. Sectarian violence has been curbed in many areas, security in some contested regions has improved and the Iraqi people have been joining with U.S. forces against Al-Qaeda. I was told that our presence in the country was not only important for Iraq and the region, but important for the United States and the entire world in deterring terrorism. 

I was also told of the many challenges we continue to face in Iraq. There are still benchmarks the Iraqi government has yet to meet in order to ensure that a viable democracy can flourish. Thousands of Iraqis continue to live without electricity and running water often spurring further sectarian violence. In addition, there are numerous regions throughout the country that still need to be secured.

In my opinion, as a country we must stop bickering and unite behind our troops and their mission. Not adequately funding this war in a timely fashion would be a severe mistake for our nations’ security and would not serve our troops. If we truly support our soldiers and their families, we must give them the means to carry out their mission and return home after success, not failure.

There are no words that could adequately express the deep respect and gratitude I have for the people we met in Iraq and for all our uniformed men and women. The sacrifices they and their families have made deserve nothing less than our unwavering support. I join everyone in the Cowboy state in thanking them for their service, commending them for their accomplishments and praying for their safe return. Our service men and women truly make the red, white and blue proud.