Lack of Self-Awareness Watch

As the post below mentions, I recently saw former NY Times correspondent Stephen Kinzer speak at an event about the folly of attacking Iran. As I reported for IPS:

[S]peakers at the forum urged attendees to lobby their members of Congress to support legislation urging President Bush to engage Iran in direct and unconditional negotiations.

"I think if we passed that bill tomorrow, probably Bush would name [Vice President] Dick Cheney as his ambassador," said Kinzer. "Nonetheless, I think it would be a great symbol, a great sign, that Congress doesn't really want this military option."

Now, of course, comes news that President Bush plans to do just that:

President Bush, dispatching Vice President Dick Cheney to the Middle East, said the goal is to get Israelis and Palestinians to hold firm to the promises they've made toward peace.

Bush said Monday in the Oval Office that Cheney would "reassure people that the United States is committed to a vision of peace in the Middle East."

Because if there's anyone who can put an end to the generations-long violence and bring peace to the Middle East, it's Dick Cheney...