"My new team at State and Defense are pros, Cheney. They can chart a successful course with regards to US-Iran policy."

For a second I considered reaching for my rod and blowing her brains out, but I let it slide. Finally I said, "Not like me, they can't. Listen, Condi, they can figure out the score as quickly as me, but they don't wanna do the dirty work. That's where I come in, see. Make no mistake, before I'm history, we're gonna bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. That is, unless you and the president can shove me outta the way, and I don't think you can."

"Listen, Dick, I want Iran to abandon its drive for the bomb, too. Don't ever forget that. But I have the Pentagon and the intelligence establishment at my disposal and the State Department will do the leg work," Rice reminded me.

I shot her a grin. "Don't worry, baby, I don't underestimate you. But you take diplomacy with Iran too seriously. You won't personally bust Ahmadinejad's legs to make him quit the nuclear hi-jinx at Natanz, and you won't shove his teeth in with the business end of a cruise missile to suggest that you're not kidding. Leg work? I do my own leg work, and there are a lot of Iranians who will do exactly what I tell 'em to do because they know exactly what I'll do if they don't."

There was a peculiar expression on her face. She shook her head. "You'll never get away with it, Dick. You're talking about potential criminal insubordination against the President."

I laid one across her chin that rocked the Secretary of State back in her chair spitting blood. "Just watch me."