Cheney challenges Rice on multiple fronts.

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/03/cheney-challenges-rice-on-multiple-fronts/

Cheney challenges Rice on multiple fronts.

“A NEWSWEEK investigation shows that Cheney’s national-security team has been actively challenging Rice’s Iran strategy in recent months. … Officials from the veep’s office have been openly dismissive of the nuclear negotiations in think-tank meetings with Middle East analysts in Washington, according to a high-level administration official.” But it’s not just Iran:

In the last few weeksstaff have unexpectedly become more active participants in an interagency group that steers policy on Afghanistan, according to an official familiar with the internal deliberations. During weekly meetings of the committee, known as the Afghanistan Interagency Operating Group, Cheney staffers have been intensely interested in a single issue: recent intelligence reports alleging that Iran is supplying weapons to Afghanistan’s resurgent Islamist militia, the Taliban, according to two administration officials…

Rice has more directly clashed with Cheney’s office on issues like Mideast peace, where…she’s found herself stymied in efforts to push for more engagement with Syria and the Palestinian radical group Hamas. A senior White House official concedes that even on what should be the simplest-to-achieve deal–a new relationship with Syria that would help stabilize Iraq–Cheney’s office is blocking Rice’s efforts to bring Bush around. The secretary has also fought with the veep’s office in seeking to soften detention policies at Guantánamo.

[eringer]

1. If George II must decide, Condi is his "man"

Cheney will resign and Jeb will become VEEP and the front runner to the No. 1 spot. Then all will be right again in the Republican party and Fred Thompson can go back home and make more babies with his young bride.

[Edgeoforever]

2. W doesn't really decide - it's battling factions. Condi is Poppy's puppet, Cheney

is the "I want it all for me" faction. So far, in the ISG battle he prevailed, so unfortunately, his chances are good. Of course the concept of Condi "fighting" for anything, let alone something other than shoes - is preposterous.