The New York Times reports:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The No. 2 official at the State Department said Friday that the elections planned for January in Iraq must be ``open to all citizens,'' contradicting Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld who suggested the day before that voting might not be possible in the more-violent areas.

Number two at Foggy Bottom is Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. There's been a long history of conflict between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Rumsfeld. Powell was against Iraq, pre-9/11. Rumsfeld, no so much. Powell liked the ICC, Rumsfeld didn't. Powell was for the Kyoto Accords, Rumsfeld was not.

And the President has almost always come down on Rumsefeld's side.

So some might see this as fitting the pattern. And reasonably anticipate that President Bush will be fine with Iraqi elections that don't involve, y'know, Iraqis voting.

But there's something new here. Richard Armitage, number two, is a Rumsfeld man. His presence in State has been seen as a sign of Rumsfeld's preeminence and Powell's token status in the administration. More accurately, Armitage is a Cheney man. The Public I has compiled a list of Armitage's business connections. Oh, and he was an Iran-Contra figure, too.

Now Rumsfeld is even farther right than Armitage. And that's not good.

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