What was John McCain doing in Iraq?

Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain recently visited the Middle East. Days later, a heavy duty offense went into effect against the Sadr militia. Was this Middle East tour of his simply an international jaunt to make him look Presidential in an election the Republicans are reaching to the stars to win? Or, did John McCain carry a message from the Bush-Cheney gang that it was OK with Washington if the Maliki government began a major assault against the Sadr militia?
Could it have been that his confusion during a press interview about who was al Queda and who Sunni or Shia, resulted from one too many private briefings and meetings after a too-long plane ride and too little sleep?
The offensive, which began with a demand for militia members to lay down their arms, has run into a lot more resistance than military leaders, advisers and observers expected, and for a few days there it looked like there would be another full-scale, nationwide conflict under way. Sunday, however, Sadr himself called for a truce, to go into effect if his jailed followers could just be let out of prison. Like, that's going to happen?
Is it a sign that a political solution for peace on the Middle Eastern Front is in the air, as Sadr jockeys for a power position in the new government? Or, is it just another hiatus in the violence until the US and its allies begin their pullout after the Democrats win the election in November?