(Logansport) U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly is back in the United States after getting a first-hand glimpse of the constant dangers of war.

During a news conference in his Logansport office Monday, Donnelly reported on his week-long trip to the Middle East and his close proximity to a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

Donnelly had two primary reasons for going to Iraq and Pakistan: to meet face-to-face with U.S. soldiers and to talk strategy with U.S. and foreign officials. Shortly after Donnelly had met with Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Embassy was struck by a rocket.

“Everybody kind of scrambled,” Donnelly said. “Ambassador Crocker actually told us the room we were in was one of the safer ones so we just kind of sat tight throughout that procedure, but it’s an indication of what a difficult situation we face in Iraq, that even in our own embassy compound, that we receive in-coming rocket fire two to three times a week at this point.”

Donnelly said he made the trip to learn from the people serving in the Middle East what the United States should do next.

How is the Pakistan-Afghan border going to be sealed off? How can stability be restored to Iraq?

His answer is similar to Sen. Richard Lugar’s approach of re-evaluating and redeploying.

“We have heard from Sen. Lugar, who has indicated that he thinks we need to take a good, hard look at this and consider starting to have some of our young men and women come home while emphasizing more of a training role,” Donnelly said.

Gen. David Petraeus is scheduled to make a full report on the war in Iraq in September.

After talking with Petraeus, Crocker and U.S. troops, Donnelly said he had concluded that stability in Iraq would come from the American people supporting the troops “in every possible way” and shifting toward training the Iraqi troops to “stand up and take charge.”

“Besides having them step up, we will play a role in reinforcing the borders of the country so that we will be redeployed around the Syrian and Iranian border to keep them from invading the country,” Donnelly said.

Donnelly also called for an emphasis in special operations going after al-Qaida.

“I think that’s where we will be going in Iraq,” he said. “In talking with the troops, Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, they laid out their vision and so I put that together with my thoughts, and I think this is where it’s going to be going.”

In Pakistan, Donnelly and the group of five other congressmen visited Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the No. 2 man in Pakistan, to discuss the importance of sealing off the Afghan border. Donnelly called Pakistan a safe haven.

“We told the prime minister that having a safe haven for the Taliban and al-Qaida just can’t continue any longer,” he said. “They understand. It is a difficult situation for them, as well.”

According to Donnelly’s report, those areas in Pakistan have few laws, but Pakistan officials decline assistance from U.S. special forces to eliminate the Taliban and al-Qaida.

“It’s my feeling that we need to clean this nest of dangerous assassins out of there,” Donnelly said. “We need to work together on this, and it is time for Pakistan to jointly come together with us to go after and finish off al-Qaida in this region.”

While in Iraq, Donnelly met with a number of troops from his congressional district. Asked what message he took to them, he said, “one of gratitude and appreciation for their hard work and to let them know that back home we are trying to make the very best decisions for their future and Iraq’s future.”

Donnelly said morale seemed positive. Those he talked to did not worry themselves with what is being discussed in the United States. He said a common response was, “I’m doing my job.”.

Asked if he ever feared for his life while touring the Middle East, he said no.

“I was never fearful,” Donnelly said. “If you’re over in that part of the world, that goes with the territory more or less.”

While watching TV one night, gunfire broke out near his hotel in Pakistan. Donnelly said it made him consider the soldiers away from their homes.

“It just goes to reinforce what a difficult and dangerous part of the world our troops face every day,” Donnelly said. “I was only there a few days. They have dealt with it every day for over four years so they are certainly the heroes in this episode.”