Cheney consults Bahrain king

US Vice President Dick Cheney visited the major US military base in the Gulf today, saying his Middle East tour remained focused on Iraq despite opposition to any attack on the country from regional leaders.

Bahrain was the seventh stop on Cheney’s trip to 11 Middle Eastern states, during which he is sounding out opinion about US proposals to unseat Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. So far the leaders have told Cheney they oppose any military strike on a fellow Arab state.