I think I was wrong

The AP is reporting that SCIRI (SIIC) party members are telling them that al Hakim has lung cancer. Al Hakim has travelled from Houston to Iran for chemotherapy.

Al-Hakim's absence could last several months or longer, said the officials, thus robbing Iraq from a key political player who has been a major partner in U.S. efforts to build a democratic system following Saddam's ouster in 2003, despite his ties to Iran.

The fact that al-Hakim will be more or less absent from Iraqi politics for months tells me that I was likely wrong in guessing his trip to Houston was a cover story.

Sorry. Sometimes the tinfoil hat pinches around the temples.

(Also, Powerful Kurdish leader Talabani will also be absent for three weeks for medical care at the Mayo Clinic.

Then it's the Iraqi parliament's two month break.

Juan Cole has more on the absence of major players.)

Also: (LATimes) "As Iraq's government compiles a record of failure, the Bush administration is under growing pressure to intervene to rearrange Baghdad's dysfunctional political order, or even install a new leadership."