Brownback opposes Bush Iraq plan

Sam Brownback has joined other senior Republicans like Chuck Hagel in speaking out against the President Bush plan to send more US troops to Iraq.

Brownback who was previously a strong supporter of Bush's plan in Iraq, issued a statement on the new plan. Brownback said that he does not believe that more troops are the answer, but rather a political solution needs to be found.

Brownback is currently in Iraq, and has met with the Iraqi Prime Minister as well as US Generals Casey and Odierno and US Ambassador Khalilzad.

He will be following up this visit with a trip to Ethiopia where he will be looking at issues like the situation in Somalia and Sudan. This is at least his second visit to Africa in just over 12 months, having conducted a fact finding mission to the Congo, Rwanda and Kenya in December 2005. The Brownback tour will also take in Afghanistan and Pakistan where he will be having a first hand look at the war on terror.

Brownback's credentials on foreign relations will certainly be enhanced by his extensive travels. And what better place to be than in Iraq, talking to the Prime Minister and Generals, right at the time that Bush announced his new plan.