Yes, I have been hearing about this. Comes on top a few other insane actions by the Republicans, demonstrating to everyone how they are not fit to govern.
If I were to summarise the current Middle East situation, I'd say the big game changer in all of it is the US's self-sufficiency in oil. For the first time in a very long time, no Western power is interested in controlling the Middle East.
Now we have a virtual vacuum in Iraq and Syria. The old order of Sunni and Israeli power is being challenged by Iran, and the result could be extremely destructive. Iran is on an empire mission, and surrounding Saudi Arabia. Israel is petrified about Iran, as are Saudi, Gulf States, Egypt, Jordan etc.
The old power there, the US, is reluctant to get further involved, despite a change in ground-swell opinion within the US about that. They can't just walk away, but they also don't need to control it like in the past, because of the oil situation.
It appears the current US administration is walking a fine line between acceptance and nuclear containment of Iran - how on earth this will turn out is very questionable.
The two new elements to add to this, are the apparent likelihood of a power shift in Israel, and the new leader of Iran ensuring that Sunni fighters move in to control the Sunni areas of Tikrit. These are positive signs amongst an otherwise destabilising scenario.