“The rise of Islamic fundamentalism around the world has real security implications, not only for Israel, but also for the United States,” said Boehner, who is accompanied on the trip by GOP Reps. Pete Hoekstra (Mich.), the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee, John Carter (Texas), Peter Roskam (Ill.) and Jeff Miller (Fla.).

Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, also visited Iraq this week.

As the November elections inch closer, Republicans are faced with the twin challenges of justifying their continuing support for the unpopular war in Iraq while reasserting before voters that the GOP is stronger on national security matters than the Democratic Party.

McCain’s lengthy career has largely been founded on his national security and military credentials. He is the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee and a Vietnam veteran who was kept a prisoner of war by the North Vietnamese for more than five years.

Nevertheless, in his quest for the presidency, McCain must overcome public antipathy for the United States’s continuing presence in Iraq and has been subject to harsh criticism over his support for President Bush’s war strategy from his Democratic rivals for the White House, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.).

In Israel, Cheney noted that the 60th anniversary of Israel’s founding will be commemorated on May 16 and reiterated President Bush’s support for a Palestinian state.

“On this journey, I am reiterating the President's commitment to his vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. He stated that vision early in his presidency, and as I like to remind people, he was the very first American President to do so,” Cheney said at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Saturday.

Also noting Israel’s coming anniversary, Boehner said, “Since its first day as a nation, Israel has lived under a threat of aggression from militant extremists and hostile neighboring governments.”

Boehner made pointed references to several Middle Eastern nations as of particular concern to the United States and Israel. “This congressional visit will give us the opportunity to discuss important issues of mutual concern between our two countries, the peace process and regional security, including Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon,” he said.

McCain returned Friday from a world tour of sorts that included visits to the United Kingdom and France, but the highlight of his trip was a stop in Iraq that coincided with the five-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of the Arab state.

While in Iraq, McCain erroneously stated that predominantly Shiite Iran was backing the predominately Sunni terrorist organization al Qaeda in Iraq. Though McCain corrected himself, Clinton and Obama seized on his mistake as evidence that McCain is not suited to be commander-in-chief.