Cheney's Surprise Visit to Baghdad

Flack jacket and all, Vice President Cheney made a surprise visit to Baghdad today. Will this trip be any different from his last couple? Under the growing angst of Congress and the American people, will Cheney's attitude towards the Iraqi leadership finally change from one of support to one of pressure and accountability?

Although the President says that the U.S. will be in Iraq as long as we are needed, grumblings from the Hill highlighted by the House Minority Leader suggest otherwise. According to Rep. Boehner, "By the time we get to September or October, members are going to want to know how well this is working, and if it isn't, what's Plan B."

Therefore, President Bush may win this battle with the Democrats over war spending, but as the old saying suggests, the Democrats still might win the war (no pun intended). If by September we aren't seeing noticeable progress (which I personally don't think there will be), electoral pressures from an upcoming election and a rising death toll in the heat of Baghdad may be enough for most Republicans to start talking about time lines, and definite benchmarks.

However, what needs to be remembered in this whole situation is that there is no good option when it comes to Iraq. Both the Democrats and Republicans are partially correct with their assessments. The Democrats say we can not continue a failed policy - referring a civil war - therefore we need to get out. The Republicans then rebut back - what happens when the Americans do redeploy, is there going to be mass unrest in the Middle East?

It is my opinion that we need to take a third route; different from "cut and run" or "stay the course." This path will take the Republican perspective that we can not simply get out of Iraq, and combine it with the Democratic view that diplomacy and accountability are keys for progress and victory in the region. This war will not end just byway of a "surge." There must be open dialog between countries in the Middle East, and the U.S. I don't know what possible diplomatic solutions can be made, but engagement between ethnic groups and countries can only create more stability for Iraq and the region.