Governor goes to Iraq, meets troops

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Jim Gibbons, who went to Iraq to meet with Nevadans on duty there and to be briefed by U.S. military officials, said Tuesday he wanted to ensure that the troops know "our entire state is standing behind them."

"They go out there every day. They know the risk they take," Gibbons said of the soldiers, adding, "We all owe them so much for the sacrifice they've made."

Gibbons, who met with more than 100 Nevada National Guard members while in Iraq, also said U.S. troops are "actually now closer to finishing up here and turning this over to the Iraqi forces."

"It doesn't mean we're going to get finished early, but it does mean that we're now moving in a very positive direction," said Gibbons, speaking from Kuwait to Nevada television reporters via a satellite link.

About 140 Nevada Army and Air National Guard members are in Iraq, mostly in Camp Bucca in southern Iraq. Most are in the Army Guard's 72nd Military Police Company, made up largely of soldiers based in Henderson. Also in Iraq are members of a Henderson-based 140th Military Police Brigade detachment.

Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki took over as acting governor on Sunday and will remain in that role until Gibbons returns later this week.

Gibbons was joined on the trip organized by the Defense Department by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Gibbons previously traveled to Iraq in 2004, while serving in Congress.

In 2006, then-Gov. Kenny Guinn also made a Pentagon-sponsored trip to Iraq.