NYS Governor David Paterson made his first trip to Iraq on Sunday, landing in Baghdad with two New York congressmen to wish the troops a happy holiday.

Paterson made the surprise visit with Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-LI).

“It is a privilege for me to visit the troops during the holiday season,” Paterson said in a statement released just hours after he landed.

“Thousands of families across our state will have an empty place at their holiday tables because a loved one is overseas serving our country. I consider it such an honor to be able to travel to the war zone and personally thank these great Americans for their service.”

Although it is Paterson’s first trip to the war zone, it is not the first for a New York governor. Former Gov. George Pataki visited Iraq in 2006.

There are about 8,300 New Yorkers serving in the active duty military and more than 2,000 in reserve units.

Israel, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee on State and foreign Operations, said he felt a sense of duty to visit the troops in Iraq.

Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) also joined Paterson on the trip.

The delegation also plans to visit with U.S. and Iraqi officials.

When Paterson is traveling outside New York, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) legally serves as acting governor because New York does not currently have a lieutenant governor.

Details of the trip weren’t immediately available due to security concerns, aides said.

(Source: NY Daily News)