Washington – U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar met with President Bush today, urging him to find more international assistance to help stabilize Iraq.
“I told the president it is important to internationalize the effort,” Salazar told reporters after the White House meeting.
Salazar traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan last week. Today he and 12 other members of Congress who had recently made the trip met with Bush.
Also at the meeting were Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Salazar, D-Colo., said Bush listened, but did not respond to lawmakers’ suggestions.
Prior to his meeting, Salazar said Bush’s handling of the 2003 invasion of Iraq was making it harder to get other countries’ help now.
“He has talked about an international effort, but the truth of the matter is that it’s been an American effort,” Salazar said prior to the meeting.
Some Democrats have called for a quick pullout of troops, but Salazar said he doesn’t agree.
“I think it would be a mistake for us to walk away,” Salazar said.
