Pelosi visits Iraq

BAGHDAD, May 17 (UPI) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a surprise visit to Iraq Saturday, meeting with U.S. and Iraqi officials, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said.

An outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq, Pelosi immediately began discussions with officials regarding unspecified topics, the Los Angeles Times said.

The California Democrat has demanded significant cuts in the number of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq after spearheading the Democratic fight against President George Bush's 2007 troop surge.

That commitment of an additional 28,500 U.S. troops was aimed at containing sectarian and insurgent violence throughout Iraq.

The Times said in addition to calling for troop cuts, Pelosi has called on the Iraqi government to donate more money to the country's reconstruction efforts.