By Courtney Kealy of the Baghdad Bureau

Walking through the streets of the peaceful town of Haditha in Anbar province while your democratic presidential runners spar over the issue of Iraq back at home? Priceless.

Could money have bought better pictures? Probably not.

Of course, Senator McCain’s aides have been at pains to say this is no campaign stop. It’s a previously planned trip as part of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He’s here to speak with General David Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker about their congressional hearing next month. He also met with Prime Minister Maliki to urge him to press the Iraqi government to move faster on political reconciliation.

The General and the Ambassador didn’t appear in pictures alongside the Senator. General Petraeus is well know to be apolitical and wouldn’t want to be seen in a presidential campaign ad. But the Senator did have the choice head -of -State- seat session with Iraqi Prime minister Maliki. Ahead of Vice President Cheney’s meeting, McCain was seated at the right hand of Maliki, in an ornate chair with wide armrests with the rest of the congressional delegation sittting one by one alongside the wall.

Senator McCain has been quite outspoken on his views about Iraq. It is his eighth visit here. He says he still sees Al Qaeda as a threat and worries that they may try to stage more attacks closer to the November election. He will continue on to Jordan, Israel, France and the UK where he will meet British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the first time.

Managing to get trips in to Baghdad, Haditha and Mousl is a nifty hat trick for the Senator. Baghdad has seen a recent uptick in violence and Mosul is the new frontline against Al Qaeda … and, it is still quite dangerous to travel to.