The United States is fighting a “very just war” against Iraq, but don’t expect the military to move on into Syria right now, Kansas Congressman Jim Ryun said Monday night.

“I’m hoping we’ll see a quick conclusion,” Ryun, a Republican who represents Kansas’ 2nd District, said of the war in Iraq.

Ryun spoke on a variety of topics to about 40 Kansas University College Republicans Monday night in the Jayhawk Room of the Kansas Union.

The war to overthrow the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein was intended to find and destroy weapons of mass destruction and give the people of Iraq the opportunity to be self-governing, Ryun said.

“We don’t have any intention of staying there,” Ryun said.

Jim Ryun, D-Kan., chats with Erin Blocher, chair of the Kansas University Collegian Republicans. Ryun later spoke to a group of KU College Republicans Monday at the Kansas Union.

The American military is at its operational limits without calling up additional reserves, Ryun said. Therefore, unless it is strategically necessary, he said he didn’t think the United States would continue military operations by moving into Syria.

Ryun also said he didn’t know how long U.S. troops would remain in Afghanistan.

“It depends on when we feel comfortable with the government,” he said.

The war in Iraq is an extension of the Afghanistan war with both tracing their roots back to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ryun said.

As for the federal budget process, Ryun said he supported the $726 million in tax cuts supported by Republicans.

“The economy needs to have legs under it and start recovering,” Ryun said.