July 21, 2008 Obama arrives in Iraq Play video

(NECN) - Barack Obama is now in Iraq and some are wondering if this will boost his foreign policy credentials?

Obama is expected to meet top US Commander General David Petraeus and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.

Obama arrived as part of a congressional delegation after stops in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Obama has called for withdrawing American troops from Iraq at the rate of one or two brigades per month. Eventually ending combat operations within 16 months.

Al-Maliki recently made comments to a German magazine that appeared to endorse that plan.

On Sunday, Obama said the US needs to pull some troops out of Iraq and move them to Afghanistan.

Rhode Island Democratic Senator Jack Reed and Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel are also traveling with Obama.

Both are critics of the Iraq war.