GOP Attacks On Obama's Terrorism Policy (SLIDESHOW)

A couple days after President Obama announced that he had ordered the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen who had become a leading propagandist for Al Qaeda in Yemen, he received congratulations from an unlikely place.

"I think it was a very good strike. I think it was justified," former Vice President Dick Cheney told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.

"I'm waiting for the administration to go back and correct something they said two years ago when they criticized us for 'overreacting' to the events of 9/11," Cheney added.

Cheney's right about one thing: two and a half years after he took office, and with the extrajudicial killings of two wanted terrorists -- al-Awlaki in September, Osama bin Laden in May -- it's increasingly evident that Obama's counterterrorism policies share far more with those of Bush and Cheney than they differ from them.

But it's hard to say who should find this militarized form of counterterrorism more frustrating: the progressives who elected Obama hoping for a new approach to national security, or the Republicans who have lost a convenient punching bag.

Indeed, just two years ago, Cheney was accusing a newly sworn-in Obama of "dismantling" Bush-era counterterrorism policies, and of being "more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist" than protecting Americans. Whoops.

Below, a slideshow of some of the greatest hits from GOP officials back when a reasonable person could still believe Obama was "soft" on terrorism -- beginning, of course, with Dick Cheney.

Comments

[Jeff Mace]

07:37 PM on 10/06/2011

So wait.....The guy with the largest terrorist attack on his administration's watch, with several follow up attacks on our allies in retaliation for his own administration's misguided second war want's an apology from the guy who's administration has had an eventless and spotless 3 year record on terrorism (barring a few botched attempts)....as well as the Guy who's taken down more kingpins of enemy cells than the previous administration, in half the time.

Audacios little guy isn't he?

[kramskoi]

06:02 AM on 10/15/2011

...I guess, like deficits, common sense does'nt matter either...this guy...I'll play nice though...

[jzannoni]

03:54 PM on 10/06/2011

Please go away already. Leave us alone. Carve a few wooden ducks. Go hunting with your friends. ANYTHING...... Who cares what you think about anything.

[Illuminarts]

10:23 PM on 10/05/2011

Cheney's waiting for Obama to apologize? I hope he's holding his breath.

[4godsake]

03:29 PM on 10/05/2011

This is really funny, how all of a sudden it is how much latitude the President should have to kill terrorists, WHEN HE KILLS A TERRORIST ! But nothing was said about latitude when the Bush administration killed INNOCENT WOMEN AND CHILD "ATTEMPTING TO KILL TERRORIST" and miscalculated their attack. What is it going to take for the country to get pass it BIASES ! WAKE AMERICA, when we have people willing to kill themselves to kill US (Americans) there is something really wrong with that picture. This President recognizes that, but NO ONE is really listening to what is he has said about REPAIIRING this country IMAGE Abroad. WAKE AMERICA. Just look a that group of Republican candidates, the last thing this country needs is one of them running this country. THINK AMERICA, THINK

[4godsake]

02:58 PM on 10/05/2011

Two questions. How many major terrorists were captured under George Bush Administration in 8 years ? NOW, How many major terrorists were captured or killed under the Obama Administration in 3 years ? If you are a Republican do not bother to answer. Base on the results from the 8 years of the previous administration, all the Republicans can do is DAMAGE CONTROL, and the Americas who buys the fertilizer they are selling are , FOOLS ! WAKE UP AMERICA.

[DZISU]

02:58 PM on 10/05/2011

Pump man pumping air

[Titus]

11:00 AM on 10/05/2011

The former Bush administration is critical of the Obama policy towards counter-terrorism. Big surprise there. In other news; Water is still wet and Generalissimo Fransisco Franco is still dead.

[mbowland1]

08:11 PM on 10/04/2011

When is "dead eye" Dick Cheney going to fade away?

[tribilin219]

04:21 PM on 10/04/2011

I don't care where your from, If you come to Brooklyn from the Bronx or Queens, plan a bomb where it can hurt anyone in my family or friends or anyone who lives by me? Your a terrorist, and you better hope the cops get you before I do, Because I'll be the last thing you'll ever see.

[sviolette]

02:19 AM on 10/05/2011

I don't care where you're from either.

[zombywulf]

03:10 PM on 10/04/2011

I guess killing the terrorists isn't enough, the sicko bagger RepubliCONs want to eat them too.

[marklincoln8]

06:32 PM on 10/11/2011

Right now one of them can be considered "sea food".

[Curious Black]

02:02 PM on 10/04/2011

Ulysses Everett McGill: Pete, it's a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the Republican heart.

[Curious Black]

01:48 PM on 10/04/2011

I would not spit on Dick if he were on fire, that being said, if he were running for the republican nomination, I would register as one to vote for him (in the primary only) because he is the only Repub left that is willing to say The President is doing the Right thing, what all of us wanted done, Dick is not one of those flip flopping waffelers pandering to every penny they smell.

[zombywulf]

03:11 PM on 10/04/2011

He only supports Obama so he won't be tried for Treason.

[Maxedaddy]

01:40 PM on 10/04/2011

The difference between Bush/Chaney and Obama, is that Obama is going after actual terrorists and not oil rich countries and their resources under the pretext of going after terrorists. Very clear. The evidence is clear as day. Not good for Republicans when Obama gives orders to kill terrorists! Republicans need the terrorists alive so they can keep pretending to keep searching for them so they can keep siphoning/stealing money from the public via military contracts!

[Sevastian Winters]

01:06 PM on 10/04/2011

As I tried to say in this article: http://news.yahoo.com/cheney-says-obama-owes-apology-211000743.html , Dick Cheney can shove his apology into the deepest, darkest portion of his nether regions.... where he's most likely to see it.

[John A Guthrie]

01:02 PM on 10/04/2011

Whiny children, don't you "get it"? It's easier to run for President- than be one. I am a Wyoming Republican and when Obama was in Laramie in 2008, I gave his press people one word to help them: RESPONSIBILITY. That night, BO used it once (he got applause saying he was "going to make the Iraqis responsible for their war) But by Denver acceptance and Inaugural, the word was a major theme. Once in power, you don't BO using it- any more than any other elitist (who doesn't want to remind the masses that they, themselves, are stupid, irresponsible morons, day-to-day..speeding...spending themselves into greater debt...etc. I've known Dick Cheney 40 years. He doesn't care what people online, winging about him, think. He cares what the King of Saudi Arabia thinks of the American elite. Grow up! It's 1932 in Weimar America and President Eisenhower was right in his 1961 farewell speech: Beware the M-I-C