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

[Ergon]

Remember when Cynthia McKinney tried to post impeachment proceedings she was rebuffed by the Democratic leadership?
Here's an essay on impeachment: http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/20/2006/2173

[kevenseven]

Remember reading the description of impeachment in the Constitution?

Does the number 67 mean anything to you?

Go ,light your hair on fire.

[Ergon]

Go ahead, enlighten us on how impeachment for sex beats impeachment for lying to the people and falsely leading this nation into war.

[MESGAIN26]

BOYCOTT THE MEDIA

[MESGAIN26]

WILL SOME ONE PLEAS CLUE CHENEY IN THEIR POLICY OF THE 8 YRS HAVEN'T MADE US SAFE , CELL AR IN US MEXICO IS A MES , IRAQ ATTACKS HAVE INCREASE IRAN AND IRAQ IS UNITED ISREAL IS ISOLATED PAKISTAN IS A MES , AFGANSTAIN IS A MESS AND OSSAMA IS STILL FREE THREATING ISREAL AND NORTH KOREA DANGEROUS THAN EVER

[Politisizer]

Ok Da.rth... whatever you say.

[sweetni4]

Does anyone remember the day bush was wispered in his ears we just got attacked on 9-11, It was not the look of someone that was shocked and in disbelief,but rather someone who was told "mission accomplished". The bush administration was warned by 3 different countries that the plot was in the works. They allowed it to happen because it would have been a good excuse for them to finally go into that region and dominate. Now he keeps warning America under Obama we will have a nuclear attack. He would know since he's scheming with other forces for this to be in play. Don't be fooled to think that they were not behind the 9/11 attack. days before the attacks the stocks for united airlines rose dramatically, up to today no one has yet to claim these stocks. As for America, it has always been an aggressive country that likes nothing more than to dominate weaker countries . Let's just refresh our history a little. We came to America and brutally killed Native Americans and took their land wiping out a group of people and if that was not enough we went to Africa to get slaves for free labor to build this country.

[TFlint]

Remember that Daddy Bush was CEO of the Carlisle Corp. owned by the Bush family friends the Bin Ladens.

[LWkcma]

He was also a spook [cia]

[democratforever1988]

You know whats sad. We finally elected a democrat to get back at that SOB Bush. And they wont even go after the Bush Administration. Government covering its own A S S.

[mensa999]

Your forgetting the part where on Sept 10, 2001, Bush addressed the Nation because Congress wanted to put money into Education instead of Defense. Not 24hrs later the first plane went into the tower.

[sweetni4]

They Could not kill the Africans for it because at the the time Africa was a strong continent so they exchange guns for slaves that was sold out by their own tribes. now lets go Mexico, We needed California since that's where the gold was and slaughtered them too taking Cali and Texas from them. Fast forward to present time. We now want oil badly so we need to go after middle east any means necessary. Wake up America all this did not just happened on 9/11, we have been doing this for 100 hundred of years. My 90yr old grandfather lives in Europe born and raised in the Netherlands very prominent business man during his youth and he keeps telling that there is a government within a government in every important country. These people have been carrying on their missions for generations. When PM Gorden Brown came here last week he kept pushing his world globalization rhetoric on us. These people struck Gold with Obama because no other leader has ever capture the imagination of the whole world like he has. his unique background covers every ethnic background you can think of. This is the chance they heve been waiting for. I love my president Obama and I want to give him the benefit but i pray that he is not caught up in this scheme. If he is not he will figure it out soon just Like JFK did.

[sweetni4]

Propaganda just like all the other countries we keep saying do. Thomas Jefferson said if we let the bankers take over America is doomed. Abe Lincoln said the exact same thing and we all know what happened to him. The dirty bankers just packed their bags 200yrs ago and came here.This economic meltdown is a joke, Obama no matter what has no control of it, the bankers do.They robbed us blind . So I pray Obama is not a part of it and if he's not and he tries to fight this so called government I am afraid They will see to it that he not live. Read your own history start with federal reserve that answers to no one and than the CIA And Foreign Council of relations and Secret Service. My grandfather tells me this New World Order is no conspiracy it has been around since he was a very young man It all originated in Europe starting with British and yes even my ancestary homeland the Netherlands which are still ruled by monarchys

[SG Phillips]

I am never watching CNN again. Never.

God I hope Jon Stewart goes after CNN for this.

[slarabee]

I don't see him letting it slide on by...

[colorperdaughter]

Me either.

[HerbTee]

Can't say that I blame you for not watching CNN. I stopped watching CNN during the primaries when so many of their talking heads were bashing then candidate Obama. They were totally in the tank as Hillary Clinton shills. I can honestly say that CNN has likely lost my prime viewership forever.

[Opygollopy]

I also stopped during the primaries. Now they bash Dems and let Repubs go on with their talking points. The only one with salt is Jack Cafferty & I read him on line. King is a lousy interviewer, he is easily taken off track. Dana Bash is hard to watch (is she anorexic or what?) and in the tank for anyone but Dems. Wolf Blitzer is another interviewer who asks questions and doesnt listen to the answers but just goes on to the next question. Pathetic really, when you interview, dont you want to find out things so it possibly takes more than one question. And they never, never respond if it is a blatant lie. CNN is off my favorite list until they can get a decent reporter.

Fareed Zacharia is terrific tho. I tape him every Sunday. He is great.

[mcantwell]

No CNN for me either. I ditched it months ago.

[colorperdaughter]

A number of books about the Bush admin note that Cheney changed psychologically after his heart attack, he appears to have developed pathological paranoia. Politicans should be certified psychologically fit, especially if they access to secure information. I used to screen correctional officers for psychological health, Cheney would not have passed.

[oregonbird]

Yes. Screening good.

[Vere15]

Cheney is one of those rare politicians who combines the qualities of sinister, unpopular, incompetent and a complete albatross on the lives of the entire population and the economy. He has singlehandly inflicted more damage in America than Osama Bin Laden, Benedict Arnold and George III of England combined.

[iver]

The danger is from within. Cheney and company are still pulling strings. Just because he is out of office does not mean he is out of power. He has ways.

[timbonotes]

I can't wait until Sy Hersh comes out with his book about Cheney and his domestic assassination squad. Maybe, we can finally put this guy in permanent detention but I won't hold my breath! Cheney has to be the most obnoxious, arrogant narcissistic maniac ever perpetrated on the American Public and the rest of world for that matter.

[oregonbird]

For Hersh to hold this information and use it for his own benefit is amoral. If he hasn't turned it over to the government, he is an accomplice, in my book.

[privategirl]

I've listened to many calling Cheney all kinds of names and I kept an open mind towards him. After listening to his first exit interview, Cheney confirmed what many have been saying about him for the past eight years. And he does not care.

Him and Bush took us into A false war through fear. There is no ifs, ands, or butts about it. After the unapologic attitude of Cheney, I am convinced, without a doubt, that they intentionally went off course in the War On Terror to appease Bush Sr.

Cheney should be the last person to question someone else's way of running this country. He has the blood of over 4500 young men and women on his hand. All the spinning the MSM is allowing him to spin will never remove that REALITY.

Going to war should be a WELL thought out and conscious decision because of the many lives that are going to be at risk. For someone, who is suppose to be part of the leadership of a FREE NATION, to so selfishly take a sad and fearful event like Sept 11th and use it to avenge a past war is dispicable on all levels.

And his rational to his and Bush's decision to sacrifice over 4500 men and women is, the world is a better place without SADAM. Cheney is the personification of EVIL.

And he wants Obama to take his advise...

[slarabee]

Very well put and I agree with everything you have said except that I don't think it was done to appease Bush Sr. I think Bush the elder is a better man than that. I would suggest that it was done to increase the value of Cheney's Halliburton stock. see; http://www.rawstory.com/news/2005/Cheneys_stock_options_rose_3281_last_1011.html which is even more disturbing.

[wsb25]

Disgusting that some people care only about our 4500 killed. How about several hundred thousand dead Iraqis???

[gtalkspolitics]

Lier, And do you and the rest of the Bush admin. think we are loved and praised across the world ?

[SmolderingRuin]

Only 60 pending comments? Alright then.

[LWkcma]

58 now