One Chief

The always accurate Mr. Cheney today, in referencing Democratic congressmen acting on the will of the people to pull out of Iraq, that, "the United States military answers to one commander in chief in the White House, not 535 commanders in chief on Capitol Hill." Technically, he's right. But then his logic follows that the Congress must fall in line behind Presidential policy and thus they "expect the House and Senate to meet the needs of our military on time, in full and with no strings attached."

The President answers to the 535 men and women on Capital Hill. The President is the Executive, he makes sure the law and policy is carried out. And like any CEO, he answers to a Board of Directors. A freshly elected Board of Directors still covered in the raw stench of campaigning and opinion polls. Who's powers include [Article II, Section 8 of the US Constitution]:

To declare war, and make rules concerning captures on land and water; To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years; To provide and maintain a navy; To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces; To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

So yes, there is but on Commander-In-Chief "when called into the actual service of the United States." Guess who calls them into service? Three guesses:

A) Captain James T. Kirk
B) The US Congress
C) Lake Michigan

Mr. Cheney, the military answers to one Commander-in-Chief who executes the foreign policy of the United States as prescribed by the US Congress, who in turn answers to the people. I expect that you will fulfill their wishes with no strings attached.