Congressman Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, is back from a trip to Iraq and says he'll be in no hurry to withdraw U.S. troops. Brad Shannon of The Olympian reports:

With Congress poised next month to look at U.S. progress in Iraq and a vote looming on U.S. funding for the war, Baird said he's inclined to seek a continued U.S. presence in Iraq beyond what many impatient Americans want. He also expects Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees U.S. troops in Iraq, to seek a redeployment of forces. "People may be upset. I wish I didn't have to say this," Baird said. He added that the United States needs to continue with its military troops surge "at least into early next year, then engage in a gradual redeployment. ... I know it's going to cost hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars."

Baird voted against the initial invasion of Iraq. He says that was the right decision. But, he told Shannon, "we're making real progress" and "I think the consequences of pulling back precipitously would be potentially catastrophic for the Iraqi people themselves."