Collins meets with Maine soldiers in Iraq

AUGUSTA – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is on a whirlwind visit of six countries in the Middle East and parts of Asia, said she has been impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the soldiers she has met.

“I met today with four soldiers from Maine when I was in Anbar province [in western Iraq], all in a unit that has had their tour of duty extended by 45 days,” Collins said in a telephone interview from Kuwait. “They were very good-natured and said they believe they are making progress. They said they were glad to see somebody from home.”

Collins said a shop from Harrington in Washington County gave her 150 balsam sachets to give to any Maine soldiers she encountered while on her trip.

“One soldier I spoke with said they smelled just like Maine. That was a high point of the trip,” Collins said.

The senator identified the four soldiers she had lunch with in the city of Ramadi in Anbar province on Thursday as Capt. Rob Brewer of Portland, Sgt. 1st Class Gary Lausier of Van Buren, Spc. Jonathan Westman of Caribou and Spc. Shannon Ruopp of Monmouth.

Collins and the other lawmakers on the trip also met with top military and political leaders while in Iraq. She said meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad were “very helpful” in understanding the Iraqi government’s position on the various issues facing that country and the region.

“This is my third trip to Baghdad in three years, and every year there has been more violence in Baghdad,” she remarked.

Collins said that in sharp contrast to the violence in Baghdad, the western part of the country seems more stable and opposed to the al-Qaida-provoked violence that dominates Baghdad and the surrounding areas.

“Some of the sheiks, the tribal leaders, seem to be making some progress,” she said, explaining that they “have decided they do not want the al-Qaida influence and they have joined with our troops and Iraqi army forces.”

Collins’ visit to the region is far from over. She expects to be in Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday and hopes to meet with some additional troops from Maine.

“I don’t know if it will work out, but I hope to meet with some of the National Guard soldiers that are deployed in Afghanistan,” she said.

After meetings with Afghan officials and military leaders in Kabul, she will go to Pakistan and meet with President Pervez Musharraf and other Pakistani government officials.

Collins said following that visit, the delegation will fly to Jordan for additional meetings and then finish the trip with a visit to Israel.

“I will have been in six countries in seven days – not a trip I would recommend,” she said. “It gives me an even greater appreciation for the sacrifices of our troops.”

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is leading the delegation trip. Along with McCain and Collins are Sens. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; John Thune, R-S.D.; and Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.