Three-Tour Iraq Vet to Democratic '08 Field: "Our Troops Need to Come Home Now" [VIDEO]

Posted by Adam Howard, AlterNet at 7:41 AM on November 16, 2007.

This summary comes from Think Progress

At Thursday’s CNN Democratic debate, the candidates heard a strong warning against U.S. military action against Iran from Christopher Jackson, a Marine who served three tours of duty in Iraq:

I feel that if we continue on the path we’re at, that’s where we’re going to end up — in Iran. And that’s not what our troops need. Our troops need to come home now.

The entire audience, including the candidates, stood and gave Jackson a rousing ovation. Watch it to your right.

Jackson’s mother, who was standing next to her son at the event, went on to say that after she “finally got her son home” from Iraq, “members of the Bush administration and neoconservative members of Congress are beating the drums of war again.”

She said her son is still a member of the Marines Individual Ready Reserve and could be called up again. She concluded by asking the candidates, “How are you going to show us your leadership on this issue now?”

UPDATE: Digby notes that the standing ovation came from the crowd after they learned of his service in Iraq. The crowd also separately applauded Jackson’s call to bring the troops home.

Tagged as: iran, clinton, iraq war, biden, edwards, veteran, democratic debate

Adam Howard is the editor of PEEK.