Titus spent weekend in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON -- Rep.  Dina Titus returned this morning from an unannounced weekend trip to Afghanistan, an aide said today.

Titus, D-Nev., was in a six-member delegation led by Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif.  The travelers all were women, which Titus spokesman Andrew Stoddard said was by design but it was not immediately clear why.

The lawmakers met with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander overseeing military activities in the country.  Titus also met with soldiers from families in her district, Stoddard said.

Titus took the trip "as an opportunity to really see what is going on on the ground and get more information about what is going on in Afghanistan," Stoddard said.

The lawmakers departed Washington on Friday and returned this morning, Stoddard said.  The trip, which included a stopover in Kuwait, was unannounced for security reasons, he said.

Others on the trip were Reps. Judy Chu, D-Calif., Laura Richardson, D-Calif., Jean Schmidt, R-Ohioand Suzanne Kosmas, D-Fla.

It was Titus' first trip to Afghanistan and her second official travel as a House member.  The freshman lawmaker went to Greece last June at the request of the Obama adminstration, as an envoy to the opening of the new Acropolis Museum.