Iowa Independent has been covering the ongoing White House debate over Iran. Up until now, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had argued for diplomacy, had won the president's ear. But now the Guardian reports that Vice President Dick Cheney, who supports military action against Iran, has won the day, at least for now:

The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned.

The shift follows an internal review involving the White House, the Pentagon and the state department over the last month. Although the Bush administration is in deep trouble over Iraq, it remains focused on Iran. A well-placed source in Washington said: "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo."

This is quite alarming news. Though Cheney's political capital has diminished, he still seems to be the top dog in this administration. The Guardian also noted that according to the source, Bush and Cheney "did not trust any potential successors in the White House, Republican or Democratic, to deal with Iran decisively." As Bush has taken on the role of lame duck, he has been freed from all political constraints. An overwhelming majority of Americans disapprove of the job he is doing, but he is not running for re-election and he thinks history will vindicate him. This places the United States in a precarious position until January 2009. Let's hope that the grownups in the administration — if there are any left, or were to begin with — take the reins of U.S. foreign policy. Otherwise, and I don't mean to be melodramatic, I fear for the world.