Yet, they’re prepared to vote to withdraw our troops, as they claim they know what’s going on there. Among those who haven’t made the trip? Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jim Webb (D-Va.).

At least 76 senators have visited Iraq in the four years of combat, including 38 who have made the trip in the last 12 months, according to a survey by The Hill. But at least 18 senators have not traveled there at all.

As debate over the war reaches a tipping point in Washington, visiting Iraq has become a rite of passage for many lawmakers looking to bolster their credibility on national security. Many lawmakers feel that making a trip is important for their credibility when they are asked to weigh in on the war….

Guess which Republicans haven’t visited the country?

On the other side of the aisle, neither George Voinovich (Ohio) nor Pete Domenici (N.M.) — two Senate Republicans who recently made headlines by breaking with the Bush administration and calling for a new direction in Iraq — has visited the country…

“The more trips you go give you more authority,” Thurber said.

But seeing the situation and speaking with the troops on the ground can reinforce pre-existing notions about the war, Thurber said. He added that “some senators have already made up their minds about what’s going on” before making a trip.

So, here’s an idea. Instead of having 535 commanders in business suits, who sit around having catered meals in the safety of their offices in Washington, how about we leave the military decisions up to the, ya know, military. These 18 Senators are prepared to make up their minds about the war, though they’ve never actually seen what’s going on over there.

Of those who have visited before, a large majority have only made one or two trips. One trip Senators include: Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Others including Charles Schumer and Ted Kennedy didn’t return calls, and The Hill couldn’t determine if they’ve made trips before.