Lawmakers Brief Bush on Trips to Iraq

WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers from both parties spoke about the war in Iraq at the White House Wednesday and told President Bush that training Iraqi security forces should be the top priority so U.S. troops can return home.

The 19 lawmakers, who have all taken congressional trips to Iraq, expressed concern about delays in forming a unified government and relayed messages from Iraqis worried about deteriorating security.

"I think we're all optimistic that the new government really is not only the first permanent government, but also a broad-based government," House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., told reporters outside the West Wing after the 45-minute meeting. "At the same time, we're disappointed that it's taken as long to stand this government up as it's taken."

Pentagon officials had figured that the 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq could be reduced to about 100,000 by the end of the year. The situation, however, has been complicated by delays in the naming of Iraqi ministers of defense and the interior, as well as persistent sectarian violence.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who visited a facility in Jordan that is training 3,000 new security officers every eight weeks, said a brigadier general in the Iraqi army expressed great frustration about security.

"He said two years ago there was more security than a year ago, and a year ago there was more security than there is today," Stabenow said, adding that she is less optimistic than Bush is about safety in Iraq.

"For us to be able to move out _ and we need to move our people from the front lines _ they (the Iraqis) have to be prepared and able to step up," Stabenow said.

Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said every civilian she met told her that security was the No. 1 issue.

"We must have a strong Iraqi national army and a police force that Shia and Sunnis can trust," said Jackson, who suggested that the president do more to engage Arab states' help in Iraq.

Blunt said he and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland also traveled to Afghanistan.

"Mr. Hoyer asked at every place we were, in both countries, what would happen if the United States left in 90 to 180 days," Blunt said. "No matter who we were taking to, ... every answer was that it would be disastrous for us to leave right now."