WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Dave Loebsack says his second visit to Iraq was easier than his first one earlier this year. He returned to Washington on Monday after a quick trip at the head of a congressional delegation over the weekend.

Loebsack met with members of the 833rd Engineer Company, the National Guard unit based in Ottumwa. The company’s 120 soldiers deployed earlier this year for their second tour of duty in Iraq. They were in Iowa for less than two years between deployments.

“Some of them expressed a concern about the shortness of the time between times in Iraq. I heard a little of that,” Loebsack said.

What he didn’t hear was whether the soldiers believe the U.S. should pull out of Iraq. Loebsack favors a withdrawal, though he said Monday it may take more than a year for that to take place.

“For me the goal all along has been to begin to disengage, not to bring everyone home tomorrow. The whole point is to do it safely and responsibly,” he said.

“Nobody brought [withdrawal] up. I found that interesting. None of the troops I talked to talked about getting out of Iraq. The fact is they are doing the mission they are tasked, and they’re doing that very, very well.”

Loebsack also toured the military’s medical facilities in Iraq and at Landstuhl, Germany. The 833rd spent time in Wisconsin before deployment studying how to provide emergency first aid in the field. They had to put some of that training to work when four soldiers were wounded in an attack earlier this month.

Wounded soldiers get their first formal treatment at a hospital in Balad. Loebsack was impressed with the facility, and called it a “fantastic hospital.” Soldiers who need further care go to Germany and, ultimately, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

Loebsack was less complimentary toward the Iraqi government’s efforts to promote reconciliation between ethnic groups. The Iraqi government is “not really holding up their end of the bargain,” he said.

“I am not seeing it at the national level at this point. And that is key,” Loebsack said.

Withdrawal from Iraq is a major goal for Loebsack, but he is less definitive on whether the U.S. should maintain bases in Kuwait. American troops remained in Kuwait after the Gulf War, and the country was a key staging ground before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Loebsack said keeping support troops in Kuwait is essential as long as there are ongoing operations in Iraq, but he is not sure whether maintaining large bases in the Mideast is a good idea once American troops are out of Iraq.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com