The surprising return to Washington of Karen Hughes is not so surprising if the tide has turned against Karl Rove. It should be remembered that Hughes lost out in the jostling for the top advisor slot and suddenly developed a need to spend more time with her family in Texas. This need appears to have vanished just as Karl Rove's fortunes have worsened dramatically.
Interestingly, Ms. Hughes mission is to use diplomacy, rather than bullets, to solve the problem of "violent extremism." This approach was derided by arch-chickenhawk Rove in his infamous recent speech in New York.
This theory of Hughes displacing Rove fits the remarkable absence of any resistance to the Hughes nomination from Senate democrats. It may be that Rice and Hughes are about to prevail over Cheney and Rove, largely because of the clumsy arrogance and policy ineptitude of the Mayberry Machiavellis.