Vice President Richard Cheney, the “Veep”, was on a visit to Riyadh and Jerusalem this past week.

His visit was close on the heels to Iraq and Jerusalem by the trio of US Senators. John McCain, the presumptive GOP standard bearer, fearless Independent Joseph Lieberman and fellow GOP supporter, Lindsay Graham. In a Jerusalem Post interview, McCain displayed his usual ‘straight talk’, and paid his Senate colleague Lieberman great court. He reiterated comments, made in a visit to the embattled Western Negev town of Sderot. He hypothesized about what citizens in Arizona, his home state, would do if rockets were fired across the US border: they would demand prompt action. Further, McCain would not urge Israel to palaver with Hamas, a terrorist group that has the objective of extinguishing the State of Israel and its citizens.

The press entourage played up the Veep’s visit as a ploy to get King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to pump more oil, as the swing producer in OPEC, and moderate prices. However, during a visit to Abdullah’s Horse Farm outside Riyadh, the Saudi news agency played up their agenda in discussions with the Veep: forcing a deal between Israel and the Palestinians that would require a division of Jerusalem, possible roll back on the strategic West Bank and rights of return of Arab refugees. These are virtual non-starters in exchange for recognition of Israel by the Saudis and the Arab League. Abdullah also cautioned the Veep about starting a war with Iran. Of course, the Veep may have asked Abdullah about whether the Saudis have stopped the flow of Jihadis from the Kingdom into neighboring Iraq. Or he could have asked Abdullah about the baksheesh extended to the Ahmadinejad regime to assist in developing gas fields in the Islamic Republic. However, we guess that he didn’t do either.

The Veep shuttled over to Jerusalem to meet with quavering Israeli PM Olmert and receive security briefings about threats from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria. He got some less than sanguine comments from an unexpected quarter, Octogenarian Israeli President Shimon Peres. Peres, who likes to consider himself as a ‘diplomat’ without portfolio rather than a ribbon cutter, said in remarks to the Veep that Israel was not going to give back the Golan Heights in any possible deal with Syria, because that would bring “Iran to Israel’s border”. That was real gumption from normally peace talking Peres. Likud opposition Leader Netanyahu brought that sharply into focus with remarks about withdrawal from Jerusalem. He noted in an Israel National News report today:

Opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that an Israeli withdrawal from any part of Jerusalem would lead to the creation of an Iranian base in the heart of Israel.

“The Iranian threat (must be neutralized) before it arms itself with a nuclear bomb. In addition, Iran must be prevented from building its main bases in the region, from Gaza to Lebanon, and particularly in Jerusalem,” he said.

Perhaps, it was a reflection of the realities of threats from emboldened Hezbollah and Syria who allege that they are ‘100% sure’ that Israel knocked off Hezbollah terrorist mastermind Imad Mugniyeh. They announced possible retaliation. Israel is equipping its civilian aircraft with anti-missile systems. Harold Riesman in an email cynically remarked that Israel can do that, but not protect its citizens in Sderot and Ashkelon against the rain of Kassem and Katyusha rockets crashing in from Hamastan.

The Veep made ‘cooing noises’ in meetings with Olmert about the US being a solid ally of Israel on security matters. He remarked at a joint Saturday news conference with PM Olmert:

‘U.S. Will Never Pressure Israel to Risk Its Security’. “America’s commitment to Israel’s security is enduring and unshakable, as is Israel’s right to protect itself always against terrorism, rocket attacks and other attacks from forces dedicated to Israel’s destruction,” he stated.

“America is committed to moving the process forward,” Cheney said. However, he said, “it is not America’s role to dictate the outcome.”

Sure.

Our guess is that the Veep again thanked Israel for last September’s raid on a nuclear bomb factory in Syria. They may have discussed whether Israel might ‘go it alone’, as it did in the June, 1981 raid that destroyed the Iraqi Osirak reactor, and take out critical nuclear and ballistic missile development centers in Iran. The IAF may have missed an opportunity to do that and minimize ‘collateral civilian casualties’ as the Iranians were on a New Year’s celebration this week doubtless witnessing those ‘fire jumping’ exercises a remnant of the ancient pre-Islamic rituals.

The Veep made the obligatory balancing trip to Ramallah to meet with ‘moderate’ PA President Mahmoud Abbas to engage in ‘wink, wink’ and promptly announced that some ‘painful concessions’ had to be made to achieve the Bush – Rice legacy project of a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Never happen.

There are reports that Abbas and Hamas leader Haniyeh are engaged in ‘unity discussions’.

As we saw last week, 85% of Palestinians polled support terrorist actions against the Jewish state, while more than 65 Percent of Israelis polled suggest ‘no dice’, no more withdrawals. Those ‘withdrawals’ may include the possible division of Jerusalem and withdrawal from the strategic spine of the Judean hills and Samaria. What we have is a virtual Impasse.