Washington, Jan 8 - Earlier this evening Congressman David Scott (D-GA) departed for Iraq to visit with American troops, meet with military leaders and newly-elected Iraqi government officials, and travel to other countries in the Middle East.

“By being in Iraq in person and on the ground with our troops, our generals, and the Iraqi people, I will come back to this country better informed,” said Congressman Scott. “I will be able to speak in Congress and to my constituents in Georgia with greater intelligence and credibility on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the situation in the Middle East, and the overall war on terror.”

Congressman Scott is traveling with a small bipartisan group of members of Congress. They will visit Iraq, Afghanistan, and other nations in the Middle East.

“This trip will give me the opportunity to show my support for our troops in person and tell them how much we all appreciate their courage, their valor, and their sacrifices,” Scott said. “Further, this trip gives me a chance to see for myself just how the situation in Iraq is going.”

Scott continued, “This is a very critical and important time to be going to Iraq, especially after the recent elections for the new Iraqi government and the announced start of withdrawal of U.S troops from Iraq, as I recommended last month. This is also a crucial time because of what I see as a transition from military to a more political strategy for success in Iraq.

“And, of course,” Congressman Scott added, “we now have increasing uncertainty and instability surrounding Israel due to both the grave situation with Prime Minister Sharon and the troubling security issues with Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. All of this makes the Middle East region very challenging and unstable.”

“We must all work together - Democrats and Republicans - for our success in Iraq and Afghanistan and for peace in the entire Middle East. We must remember, America is still the greatest hope for peace in the world and the key is success in the Middle East. This trip will help me as a member of Congress play a stronger role in finding solutions and developing a more successful foreign policy.”