Projo Politics Blog

Rhode Island's freshman senator plans to return to the United States today after his first trip to Iraq this weekend.

Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and a small group of other U.S. senators met with soldiers, military leaders and Iraqi officials before visiting a German medical center that treats American soldiers injured in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"I wanted to come to Iraq to express my gratitude to our men and women in uniform, especially those from Rhode Island, for their courageous service, and to hear directly from them and their leaders, as well as Iraqi officials, about the challenges and dangers they face,” Whitehouse said in a statement before he left.

“For the past two years, Rhode Islanders have told me we need to bring our troops home from Iraq, and I hope to learn more on this trip about steps we can take to effect a rapid and responsible redeployment.”

Whitehouse's group included U.S. Sens. John Sununu, D-N.H., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

His return coincides with the fourth anniversary of the start of the war.

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