The Maine Republican meets with forces in Tikrit, Baghdad

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe is visiting Iraq this weekend to gather firsthand accounts of the war and review efforts by Iraqis to take over the security of their country.

“I’m still not convinced that there’s a sense of urgency,” Snowe said Saturday after meeting with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of a coalition of Shiite parties in the government.

There is even persistent talk that the Iraq parliament may take a summer vacation of up to two months, though al-Hakim said that may be shortened or canceled, Snowe said Saturday during a conference call with reporters.

“As we our militarily surging, we should have a political surge by the government,” Snowe said. “(U.S. troops) should not be on the front lines while the parliament is on recess for two months.”

Snowe’s visit to Iraq, along with other members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, comes days after the Republican from Maine introduced a bill that would tie the U.S. military presence to the progress by Iraqis to strengthen their military and find greater consensus in its government.

Iraq must have “a government that will demonstrate a national agenda and not a sectarian agenda,” Snowe said.

The bill carried with it a four-month window of opportunity.

By that time, if Iraq was unable to show measurable progress in such matters as the division of oil revenue among sects, Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of multinational forces in Iraq, would have only two weeks to submit a revamped plan to Congress.

Then, he’d have to change his mission.

Snowe’s plan has been overshadowed by bills from higher-profile members of Congress.

However, after one day in Iraq, Snowe said she sticks by her timetable.

Iraq’s politicians – not U.S. troops – must find an end to the war, she said. It’s a sentiment that Petraeus repeated to her during a meeting Saturday, she said.

Petraeus also predicted that the first Iraqi military control of a province will be at least four to six months away, Snowe said.

And such strides would be first made in a relatively peaceful province.

“That’s still a major challenge,” Snowe said.

Snowe left Washington for Iraq on Thursday. She spent Friday night in Kuwait and arrived in Iraq on Saturday morning.

During her long day, she visited Tikrit and planned to spend Saturday night in Baghdad’s protected Green Zone.

In both Baghdad and Tikrit, Snowe met with soldiers from Maine.

“They face some very tough situations, without question,” she said.

Most said they had the equipment and tools they needed, but some were weathered by war.

One described how his Humvee had been hit three times by improvised explosive devices. In the last case, the bomb damage was lessened by an explosive detector installed in his vehicle, Snowe said

Troops are adapting to the enemy’s changing technology, she said. The IEDs can be overwhelming, though.

“There are 1,200 (roadside bombings) a month,” she said. “And the numbers keep climbing.”

Snowe’s last visit to Iraq was in March 2006. She plans to return to the states Monday.