Watch out, Obama: Avigdor Lieberman, ‘Israel’s Dick Cheney’ is headed to the U.S.

While Middle East-watchers are necessarily drawn to the aftermath of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s far-too-hastily certified election victory, let’s not forget who’s on his way to Washington – “Israel’s Dick Cheney:” Avigdor Lieberman, the hard-line Moldovan who lives in an illegal West Bank settlement, heads the far-right Ysrael Beiteinu (Our Home) party, and favors legislation requiring non-Jews living in today’s Israel to take a loyalty oath.

Yesterday, European trade officials offered Lieberman the first taste of carrot and stick since Netanyahu’s speech: An upgrade in Israel’s trading relationship with the European Union, he was told, won’t be forthcoming until Israel takes some concrete actions toward peace, like freezing settlements and allowing supplies into Gaza. E.U. officials also insulted him by meeting with the representatives of Hezbollah.