Paul Abernathy has a simple solution in the complex debate of the American occupation of Iraq.

"The conclusion that I've come to is that we have to get out. We have to get out today," said Abernathy, an Iraq veteran and Mid-Atlantic regional coordinator for Iraq Veterans Against the War. " We are feeding this violence in Iraq."

Last night, Abernathy spoke to an audience of about 40 people -- composed of students, faculty and local residents. He spoke not only of his experience as an Army soldier in Iraq, but also of his views on the current situation in the country.

Abernathy, who served in Iraq for a year during the beginning of the war, said the recent surge in troops is detrimental to the war.

"I find it hard to believe that anyone could have rationally gone with a troop surge," he said. "Violence increases when American troops enter."

Some students who attended the speech also shared concern about the situation in Iraq.

"I have friends in Iraq and have heard that there isn't enough funding," Lucy Yao (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said. "We should withdraw, but not immediately. We can't just go in there and then pull out without fixing things. We're responsible with what we've done."

Abernathy, who is from Pittsburgh, said the soldiers in Iraq are in really bad shape and at one point some were down to one Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) and two bottles of water per day in the desert.

"These guys [soldiers] can't take care of themselves and now they're forced to try and take care of one of the largest cities in the world, in the heart of the Islamic world, a place they know very little about," he said.

Abernathy also commented that while his current weight is 210 pounds, he only weighed 137 while he served in Iraq.

Robyn Burrows (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said she was concerned that terrorist attacks would increase in the United States.

"What really scares me is fundamental Islam," she said. "I'm just afraid that if we pull out too soon, they could attack us again like on 9/11."

Abernathy, however, said this is unlikely, because in the Arab world there is a distinction between terrorism and resistance.

While terrorists intentionally attack civilian targets, resistance fighters only want troops to leave their country.

"They have no interest in following the U.S. military back to America," Abernathy said. "They don't want anything American. They just want to be left alone."