BAGHDAD - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today commented on President Bush's proposal to increase the number of troops deployed to Iraq.

"I do not believe that sending more troops to Iraq is the answer," said Brownback. "Iraq requires a political rather than a military solution. In the last two days, I have met with Prime Minister Maliki, with two deputy presidents and the president of the Kurdish region. I came away from these meetings convinced that the United States should not increase its involvement until Sunnis and Shi'a are more willing to cooperate with each other instead of shooting at each other."

During a two day visit to Iraq, Brownback met with several Iraqi and U.S. officials, including U.S. Generals Raymond Odierno and George Casey, Jr., and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad.

Brownback continued, "The Kurdish leadership does not wish to get in the middle of a sectarian fight between the Sunni and Shi'a, and the United States should not either. Instead of surging troops, we must press the Iraqi government to reach a political solution. We cannot achieve a political solution while a military solution is imposed. The best way to reach a democratic Iraq is to empower the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own nation building."

Brownback now travels to Ethiopia to meet Ethiopian and African Union leadership to discuss Somalia, Darfur, humanitarian needs and the War on Terror.

Brownback is traveling in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia to ascertain firsthand U.S. efforts in the War on Terror. Brownback is visiting American troops and meeting with high-level leaders and American representatives in Ethiopia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Senator Brownback is a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Brownback has written short observations about his trip, which can be viewed at: http://brownback.senate.gov/english/samtravelsto-middleeast-africa-asia.htm