CLEVELAND -- The Iraqi ambassador was in town Friday to talk about Saddam Hussein's trial to Case Western Reserve University law students.

NewsChannel5 spoke to Samir Sumaidaie, asking him about how the war is going in his country, a big issue on everyone's mind, especially with the midterm election just one month away.

Intelligence spending and an exit strategy are just some of the issues voters are wondering about.

Sumaidaie has a unique perspective on the war as Iraqi ambassador to the United States. He was appointed as ambassador in April by the elected government of Iraq.

Born in Baghdad, Sumaidaie has been a long-time opponent of the Saddam regime. For years he lived in exile in Europe until he joined other Iraqis in launching the Democratic Party of Iraq.

He spoke Friday to the CWRU law students and international legal experts about the Saddam tribunal.

Afterward, he talked to NewsChannel5 about the war.

"I speak from my perspective as an Iraqi. It was an absolutely good idea. We were saved by this war," he said. "The United States liberated Iraq from Saddam … witness the mass graves there, were hundreds of thousands of people were killed as families, communities … people needed to see light at the end of the tunnel. The U.S. intervention gave them that light."

Sumaidaie said that this is just his personal opinion, and that there are many other viewpoints among the people of Iraq. He also admitted that the U.S. made mistakes, such as disbanding the Iraqi army and police prematurely, allowing insurgents to organize.

He said that the U.S. must now stay the course.