Cheney: Obama Has Raised The Risk Of Attack On America

Dick Cheney, in his first television interview since leaving office, didn't shy away from throwing a few haymakers at his White House successors, saying at one point that Barack Obama's policies had raised the risk of a domestic terrorist attack.

"I do," said the former vice president, when asked if President Obama's policies had made the U.S. less safe. "I think those programs were absolutely essential to the success we enjoyed of being able to collect the intelligence that let us defeat all further attempts to launch attacks against the United States since 9/11. I think that's a great success story. It was done legally. It was done in accordance with our constitutional practices and principles. President Obama campaigned against it all across the country. And now he is making some choices that, in my mind, will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack."

Speaking to CNN's John King, Cheney was referencing the Obama administration's decision to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, to strictly outlaw torture and define water boarding as such, and to suspend trials for terrorists by military commission. His comments furthered a line of attack he had made against the president in his first post-office interview with Politico.

Cheney's foreign policy critiques didn't end there. He also whacked the president for appointing Christopher Hill as the country's top diplomat in Iraq.

"He is not the man I would have picked for that post," said Cheney of Hill. "He has none of the skills and talents that Ryan Crocker has."

Comments

[sposton]

He should exercise the freedom of speech from behind bars.

[JustLucky]

I went to the CNN site just now to send a piece of my mind about John King blatantly baiting Cheney in that interview to bash President Obama. I couldn't help myself from hitting the button to vote on this:
"Do you agree with Dick Cheney that policies by the Obama administration 'raise the risk' of a terror attack on the U.S.?" - Yeah, dumb of me, I know, to give them the satisfaction of yet another click in their "poll," but whatever..­. Anyway, it was somewhat heartening to see that exactly 70% of repondents had voted NO.

[momof3inGA]

John King and CNN have lost every iota of credibility not only for posing such a disgusting question -- but for hosting and baiting Cheney in the first place. The way in which the media attempts to undermine our President at every turn is utterly disgusting.

I will never -- ever -- give King the benefit of my viewership.

[kcflood]

Stop paying attention to this has-been. What a sad display.

[JDShipley]

And, says Cheney, if you don't agree, we'll suspend the First Amendment and throw you in jail for sedition. That's how we'd keep America safe. Right?

[BMS]

The United States was attacked on Sept.11, 2001.
The president of the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 was George Bush,

I'm sorry, Mr. Cheney - WHOM did you say is a danger to this country?

[slarabee]

Also the Bush administration was warned repeatedly that this specific attack was likely yet they did nothing to prevent it.

[LiberTLover]

They couldn't even be bothered to read the warnings, what with them being so busy and all.

[AbbieHoffman2]

t.hrow h.im i.n j.ail n.ow

[americansheep]

And what Damage could that be? Wait for Damage. Damage, Dick, Damage. See Dickspeak. See Damage run. Run, Damage, Run.

[postman606]

"He is not the man I would have picked for that post," said Cheney of Hill. "He has none of the skills and talents that Ryan Crocker has."

The more Cheney talks, the more evidence he gives he was really running the show.

[dragonlady620]

I hope there is enough hard evidence to send Cheney and his whole team to jail. I'm convinced that they not only knew the pretext for going to war with Iraq was false-a crime of the highest order in itself- but that he had a hand in the forgeries themselves. Prosecute Cheney(Rove, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz,­etc.)!

[JustLucky]

Kind should be getting as much blame as his interviewee for this piece of g.arbage "journalis­m." Why does cnn seem to think this is okay? Here's a look at it by MediaMatters: http://mediamatters.org/items/200903150009?f=h_top

[Canaris]

So, except for the biggest terrorist attack on our country in it's entire history, there were no terrorist attacks on your watch.

Gotcha.

[BMS]

Yeah, except for that one, they did an excellent job.

[Wisco12]

you did more damage in one day than obama could do in 100 years

[Marcospinelli]

The obvious retort to Cheney is that had Bush and Cheney been any good at protecting the US, we wouldn't be facing any attacks now. IF we are at all.

Cheney is a criminal who should be waiting for trial at the Hague. He made a fortune off of the wars that he started.

Under Bush and Cheney, the enemies of the US won. We're broke. Bankrupted. The American way of life is done. Cheney and Bush should be forced to pay restitution and spend the rest of their lives in prison for the devastation they've caused this country.

[mmgbizgirl]

You raised the risk for Americans at home and abroad. You put this country in danger and everyone knows it no matter how you deny it.

If we are lucky, you will pay for it.

[MuseScavenger]

What a boehner this Di_ck must have.