Pelosi makes surprise visit to Iraq

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) arrived in Baghdad Saturday for a surprise visit and met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and top U.S. officials.

{mosads}Pelosi, one the fiercest critics of the Iraq war, arrived in the Iraqi capital after leading a congressional delegation to Israel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of that country’s creation, her office said.

The Speaker has criticized the Iraqi government for not shouldering more of the cost of the war and not using more its massive oil revenue to pay for reconstruction.

Pelosi also met with General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, the Speaker’s office said.