‘Have you been to Iraq?’ — 76 sens. say they have

At least 76 senators have visited Iraq in the four years of combat, including 38 who have made the trip in the last 12 months, according to a survey by The Hill. But at least 18 senators have not traveled there at all.

As debate over the war reaches a tipping point in Washington, visiting Iraq has become a rite of passage for many lawmakers looking to bolster their credibility on national security. Many lawmakers feel that making a trip is important for their credibility when they are asked to weigh in on the war.

{mosads}As a recent case in point, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) alluded to his Iraq travel when he challenged Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) in a July 15 debate on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Graham, who has gone to Iraq seven times, took Webb to task after the freshman senator said that less than half of the military believes that the U.S. should be in Iraq.

“Have you been to Iraq?” Graham charged. “Have you ever been and talked to them?”

Webb, who has not made a trip to the country, replied by disparaging the congressional delegations as “dog and pony shows” that do not confront the reality on the ground.

Webb’s views may well be the exception, as many senators still make the visit. Topping the list is Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who has visited Iraq 10 times. That includes three trips in the past year and makes him one of nine senators who have made at least a half-dozen trips to the country since the war started.

On the other side of the aisle, neither George Voinovich (Ohio) nor Pete Domenici (N.M.) — two Senate Republicans who recently made headlines by breaking with the Bush administration and calling for a new direction in Iraq — has visited the country. But similarly critical Republicans John Warner (Va.), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Gordon Smith (Ore.) have all made the trip more than once.

James Thurber, professor of political science and director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University, said that Iraq visits give lawmakers more credibility on the war.

“The more trips you go give you more authority,” Thurber said.

But seeing the situation and speaking with the troops on the ground can reinforce pre-existing notions about the war, Thurber said. He added that “some senators have already made up their minds about what’s going on” before making a trip.

Indeed, many of the more outspoken lawmakers on both sides of the Iraq debate are among the most traveled, and few have changed their minds after returning. Besides Reed, war critics such as Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Joseph Biden (D-Del.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) have all made multiple trips. Levin tops that group with eight visits.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), an ardent defender of the war effort, has gone to Iraq eight times, while Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) have each made six trips.

Senators of both parties have made visiting Iraq a priority. Of the 11 senators who have made more than four trips, seven are Republicans, three are Democrats and one, Lieberman, is an Independent who caucuses with Democrats.

The common thread linking senators with the highest trip totals appears to be membership on either the Senate Armed Services Committee or the Foreign Relations Committee. The dozen lawmakers who have made more than three trips are all on one of these two prominent panels.

At least 38 senators have visited Iraq in the past 12 months, led by Reed, Graham and McCain, who have each visited the country three times in that span.

Among the 2008 presidential candidates, the numerous trips by Biden (seven) and McCain (six) lead the field, largely due to their leadership positions on relevant committees. Biden is chairman of Foreign Relations, while McCain is ranking member on Armed Services.

Among the other contenders, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) each boast three trips to Iraq. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) has made the trip twice, while Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has visited Iraq once.

Brittney Moraski, Jenny Gross, Lisa Chapman and Ilan Wurman contributed to this article.