Paul Abernathy has seen firsthand the horrors of the war in Iraq, and he's devoted his life to seeing the war come to an end.

"This war must end, and it must be ended at a local level," the 28-year-old Pittsburgh native and a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War told nearly 200 people Sunday afternoon at McCaskey East High School.

He suggested people concerned about the war should talk to veterans and see if they need help.

"No matter what we do, and no matter how small of an area it seems we're working in, it's making a much larger impact than we imagine," he said during his speech, which was sponsored by McCaskey Amnesty International and Lancaster Interchurch Peace Witness.

Abernathy, who spent eight years with the U.S. Army Reserves, did a one-year tour in Iraq as a combat engineer in 2003-04. He crossed into Iraq on the first day of the war and was among the first troops to enter Baghdad.

He has been a member of IVAW since 2005, explaining the group's goals in relation to the Iraq war.

All occupying forces must leave Iraq, Abernathy said, including paramilitary groups, such as Blackwater contractors.

Abernathy also cited the need for a comprehensive care plan for veterans, who he said have been grossly mistreated. He said he cannot receive treatment at Veterans Administration hospitals because benefits are cut off after two years for Iraq War veterans.

IVAW also supports paying reparations to the Iraqi people for destroying their country, Abernathy said, because it believes the U.S. has exploited Iraq's natural resources at the expense of its people.

"We will never forget our commitment to (the Iraqis) for the justice we owe them, for the generations that will suffer from this war," Abernathy said. "They have not yet begun to feel the full consequences of this conflict, believe me."

Abernathy said when he joined the military he had a view of the American soldier as "chivalrous," but he was shocked when he went into combat. He said most soldiers looked at the Iraqis as subhuman and had a blatant disregard for Iraqi human life.

He told a story about an Iraqi woman in Baghdad who came to U.S. soldiers seeking help. Her husband and son had been taken captive by insurgents and were being held for ransom at gunpoint in their home.

Abernathy was called to translate for the woman because he spoke some Arabic, and he relayed her story to his superiors. He then was told that it was not their mission to help the woman.

A few days later, Abernathy wasworking on a Baghdad bridge and saw the woman standing on a street corner with her baby, still looking for someone to help her.

"It was promoted by our chain of command to hate these people, and they were treated like animals," Abernathy said.

The anti-war movement has always been accused of being against soldiers, Abernathy said, but he pointed out that some of the most vocal anti-war activists have been soldiers themselves.

Members of IVAW have testified before Congress, appealed for redress and spoken to groups at universities, churches and schools.

"It's a movement of GIs that are stepping forward and taking action against this war in many different ways," Abernathy said. "We will not stop until this war is over."

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