As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I recently participated in a trip to Afghanistan and Iraq with my colleagues Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Russ Feingold and Hillary Clinton. The trip illustrated the sharp contrast between an emerging democracy in Afghanistan and a still determined and violent insurgency in Iraq, and provided a telling comparison with my previous journeys to both countries.

Afghanistan

I last visited Afghanistan three years ago, in January 2002. At that time, it was so dangerous that our delegation could only visit Bagram Air Base under cover of darkness, and our plane had to make a stomach-turning “spiral landing,” an evasive technique designed to avoid any incoming fire. The country’s charismatic leader, then-interim president Hamid Karzai, met with us in an Army tent near an aircraft hangar with huge holes in its roof.

What a difference three years’ time has made. This time our military aircraft made a conventional landing at the international airport in Kabul, and it was safe enough to drive into the capital city, albeit in armored SUVs. The streets were lined with Afghans going about their daily lives. Fruit stands were everywhere, and merchandise was piled high in front of tiny shops. And we had lunch with recently elected President Karzaiat his residence.

I do not mean to paint a picture of prosperity, as Afghanistan is an extremely poor country. Kabul, a city of untold millions, does not have a sewer system, and the small homes terraced in the mountains that ring the city look like they would be washed away in a heavy rain. But there is a feeling of normalcy and optimism in the country, and everywhere we went, the Afghans expressed their gratitude for America’s sacrifice in liberating their country from the Taliban and al-Qaida. President Karzai echoed that heartfelt sentiment. “Your help has made everything possible for us,” he told us. President Karzai was ebullient about the strong voter turnout in the recent elections – a sign that the Afghan people are committed to establishing a peaceful democracy.

Perhaps most striking was the change in the status of girls and women. When I visited three years ago, girls were still not in school, a remnant of the cruel and repressive Taliban rule. Today, girls are attending schools all over the country. In Kabul, older girls prohibited from attending school during the Taliban years are going to special classes designed to accelerate their learning.

Females now make up 20 percent of university students. Women also have returned to the work force after being barred from working outside of the home during the Taliban years. A woman named Habiba Sarabi is the governor of Barmiyan Province, and women have been elected to the new Afghan assembly. No longer are women beaten if they are not wearing burqas. No longer is it a crime to possess a toothbrush, rather than a wooden implement modeled on what Mohammed used in the 7th century. No longer is the sports stadium used for public executions; it is now the site of spirited soccer matches.

To be sure, the Afghans still face extraordinary challenges such as extreme poverty, too few teachers, physicians and nurses, poor health care, an ancient infrastructure, and warlords resistant to control by a central government. The country’s biggest challenge is the drug trade, but its leaders are determined to convert farmers who are growing the poppies that supply much of the world’s opium to other crops such as almonds, pomegranates and other fruit.

The Afghan people seem eager to embrace democracy, peace and freedom. I left Afghanistan feeling that the country has turned the corner despite the many challenges it continues to face. Our involvement in Afghanistan has not only eliminated a safe haven for al-Qaida but also liberated a proud people yearning to be free.

Iraq

Compared with my last journey to Iraq in the summer of 2003, this time security was far tighter. In contrast to Kabul where we traveled relatively freely, our Senate delegation could not drive along the streets of Baghdad. We were transported in armed Black Hawk helicopters to the heavily fortified “Green Zone,” where American and British headquarters as well as the Iraqi government offices are located. We wore 45-pound armored vests and heavy helmets much of the time and had to return to Kuwait each night. That increased security, the absence of Iraqis along the streets and the tense atmosphere demonstrate the difficult challenges we face.

Our first meeting was with U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, who is overseeing the recruitment and training of Iraqi security forces. The ability of Iraqi forces to take over responsibility for the security of their county is the key to the future stability of Iraq – and to the ultimate phased withdrawal of our troops. It has been difficult to recruit and retain Iraqis because they and their families are immediately targeted by insurgents. Moreover, absenteeism and corruption are endemic problems. Nevertheless, there are encouraging signs.

Gen. Petraeus told us that Iraqi forces provided the front line of security during the elections, and their success in preventing the insurgents from disrupting the elections as well as the heroism of some Iraqi guards in sacrificing their lives to prevent suicide bombers from killing voters have generated a new sense of pride among the Iraqi forces.

The elections in Iraq represent a tipping point that will determine whether Iraq is ready to embrace a tolerant, multi-party and multi-ethnic democratic government. A lot depends on the willingness of the long-oppressed majority Shiites to share some power with the minority Sunnis and Kurds. We heard some Sunni leaders express regret at their decision to boycott an election that saw a huge turnout by Shiite and Kurdish Iraqis. The Iraqi leaders with whom we met, among them current Prime Minister Allawi, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh and Finance Minister Mahdi, appear committed to an inclusive government. Sen. Clinton and I also participated in a meeting with Iraqi women who were optimistic about the future of their country, the prospects of writing a moderate constitution, and their opportunities for full participation.

The most encouraging part of my visit to Iraq was our trip to Fallujah, a city once synonymous with danger and firmly in the insurgents’ control. Once a sanctuary for insurgents, Fallujah is now what one Marine described as the “safest city in Iraq” due to a fierce battle in which the Marines rooted out the insurgents and destroyed scores of weapons caches. This success has also encouraged more than a thousand Iraqis in the Fallujah area to have the confidence to come forward to fill police and army positions.

Hearing the Marines describe the battle of Fallujah and the bravery of American and Iraqi forces made me so proud of our troops. It was an honor to be able to thank our Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen and women for their sacrifice and to have lunch with four members of our armed forces from Maine: Marine Lance Cpl. Nate McKim of Bowdoinham, Navy Petty Officer Bruce Davis of Gardiner, Marine 1st Lt. Tony King of Cape Elizabeth and Navy Chief Warrant Officer Bill Bailey of Calais. Also joining us was Marine Maj. Dirk Maurer, a member of my staff who was called to active duty last summer and looks forward to rejoining my Washington office late this spring.

Ultimately, with the quality of our troops, the training of the Iraqi security forces and the courage of the Iraqi people, I believe the outcome in Iraq can be a positive one – a free, peaceful and democratic nation. But the insurgents’ goals are exactly the opposite of that, and it is going to be a long, hard struggle. Defeating a determined, ruthless and tough enemy is going to require courage and commitment by the Iraqi people themselves as well as our determination to stay the course and learn from our mistakes.

No matter where I went during this trip, I met Mainers – both military and civilian – proudly serving our country. We owe them all a debt of gratitude for their service and their sacrifice.

Sen. Susan M. Collins is chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and a member of the Armed Services Committee.