MIAMI -- Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart has returned to South Florida after touring military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Diaz-Balart spoke passionately about his recent trip to the Middle East, showing pictures of himself walking the streets outside Baghdad. He said he was impressed by the progress that has been made on the ground in Iraq.

“Because of the surge and because of the fact that the Iraqis are stepping up, we can clearly start drawing down some troops, but they all warned that we need to do it based on how things are going in the field and we shouldn’t do it just arbitrarily," Diaz-Balart said.

After visiting U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Diaz-Balart said it is a much different picture in the fight against the Taliban. He praised President Barack Obama's decision to send 18,000 more troops to the region at the request of his commanders. But Diaz-Balart believes the U.S. needs to be there for the long haul.

“The U.S. footprint is larger now. We are having more contact with the enemy, with the Taliban. So you are seeing a lot more violence, but I unfortunately think that things are going to get much more difficult before they get better,” Diaz-Balart said.

When asked about recent efforts by legislators to end the embargo on Cuba, Diaz-Balart, who is a Republican in favor of the embargo, said, “It happens every year and it’s silly and irresponsible. If it comes to a vote, it will be defeated handily.”