WATERLOO -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Thursday the Iraq war remains one of the nation's paramount issues and obstacles to progress, despite receiving less play from major national media and other presidential candidates.

Richardson, a Democratic presidential hopeful, said during a town hall meeting in Waterloo that the war has drained resources, including time and money, away from many of the major problems still facing the country.

"We're deeply divided. This country can't focus and give health care a chance, our schools a chance, creating jobs a chance simply because of the enormous expenditures -- close to $500 billion -- that we've spent on this war," he said. "With that money we could have had universal health care, we could have had higher teacher salaries."

The war has remained a centerpiece of Richardson's campaign. The New Mexico Democrat contrasted himself with other candidates through his plan to have all troops out of Iraq within a year.

The plan, he said, will keep a small contingent in nearby Kuwait. Other candidates' plans have all American soldiers out within five years, he said.

"Our troops have done a magnificent job, but it's time to go," he said.

Care of those troops when they come home was also a major theme. Richardson said he believed that while it's been politically popular lately to laud members of the American military while on duty, politicians are giving them "the short shrift" when they come home.

"They're considered nonimportant," he said. "We have millions in this country that are not getting proper health care in this country.

"We got 60,000 coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan that are wounded -- many mentally wounded -- and we need to take care of them."

Richardson was joined by three veterans and the mother of an Iraq War soldier for the discussion.

John Garcia, New Mexico's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, said 1.4 million American soldiers have been or are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, but there aren't enough services stateside to meet their needs. Nearly a third of soldiers who've returned suffer from problems like post traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury -- which the Department of Veterans Affairs isn't able to properly treat.

"We need to be very proactive and aggressive to make sure that our men and women are being helped and being taken care of," Garcia, a Vietnam veteran, said.

Richard Sole, a Korean War veteran from Waterloo, said that could simplify the health care process set up by the VA.

"I think it's about time," Sole said. "I think it should have happened years ago."

Contact Josh nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.