He's Back

So the top U.S. commander on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars was just quoted in an Esquire profile as disagreeing with the Administration's Iran policy (and who in their right mind does agree?) and today he "resigns":

Fallon had made several comments reflecting disagreement with the administration's stance on Iran, most recently in an Esquire magazine article last week that portrayed him as the only person who might stop Bush from going to war with the Islamic republic.

"Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time," Fallon said in a statement. Though he denied that any discrepancies exist, he said "it would be best to step aside and allow" Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates "and our military leaders to move beyond this distraction."

Fallon is expected to step down at the end of the month, after barely a year in his position, and just eight days before Petraeus is scheduled to testify before Congress about conditions in Iraq. Military officers said it appeared that it was made clear to Fallon that nobody would object if he stepped down.

Remind anyone of, say, five years ago?

And yesterday it was announced that:

Vice President Dick Cheney will visit the Middle East next week and meet with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Palestinian West Bank and Turkey, his office said on Monday.

Cheney's trip to Israel and the West Bank follows last week's visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who urged leaders to move forward with peace talks that were dealt a blow by violence in Gaza and Israel.

Ah, yes, Dick Cheney, emissary of peace. I'd forgotten about that role of his. Somewhere between "Iraq" and "Iran".

So what will Cheney really be doing?:

Cheney's office did not provide any details of what issues would be discussed during his trip or what dates he would stop in each country.

Reassured now?