Col. Wilkerson: "Cheney Kept Some Things From the President"

We interviewed Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, the former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, on The Young Turks and he had some very interesting things to say. Including:

"Cheney was co-president. I'd go further than that and say that for national security issues and other critical issues Cheney was the President."

"I found the incredible arrogance and lack of humility of the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, to be stunning almost right off the bat."

Referring to the decision to abuse detainees:

"I don't think there's any question it goes to Cheney. I'm increasingly of a mind that a lot of it goes to Cheney and stops there. Not just because of the president's disinclination to do detail, but I also think that Cheney kept some things from the president.

Lawrence Wilkerson: They should have what I would call reference authority. In other words, they should be able to turn it over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution, and a recommendation should be rendered with that if they believe laws were broken and they believe the proper authorities ought to take action.

Cenk Uygur: Dick Cheney seems to have an equivocal answer on Face the Nation when asked, "Did the president know about this abuse?" and he said, "Well I think he should have known" or something along those lines. Is there some chance that Dick Cheney just flat out gave the orders and didn't tell the president?

Lawrence Wilkerson: Absolutely! In my mind I have no problem believing that. I have no problem at all believing that.

You can watch the whole interview and read the transcript here:

http://www.theyoungturks.com/story/2009/5/21/9482/37294/Enough/Lawrence-Wilkerson-Denounces-Bush-Administration

Watch The Young Turks on You Tube

Comments

[demfriend]

Now that Bush has re entered the "torture debate" he can show just how much he really did not know about what Cheney was doing behind his back and in front of him!

[charon]

This is exactly what I and many others have thought for a long time. We knew Bush wasn't running things, we knew he "delegated." He still bears some responsibility because he was the only one who could have stopped Cheney, and ultimately he was the one who authorized Cheney to have the power. But Cheney was the creator and executor of the policies.

How can America allow this to happen? That so many are willing to defend the man and his actions (granted, a minority of Fox News fans and right-wing talk-radio fans, but still possibly millions) speaks ill of this country. The majority must see that the perpetrators of this outrage are prosecuted and punished or we will cease to be a nation of laws and justice, and become a monster of paranoia and tyranny.

[Genna]

How can we agree with torture?

1. We believe we are more important and more special than any other group of people the world has ever produced. We have a right and an entitlement to do things other people would be jailed or executed for. Whatever our interests are take precedence in all the world holds dear.

2. Whatever we fear is real and pressing.

3. The rest of the world has no power or not enough power to rally against our excesses.

[AxelDC]

Bush was in over his head as President. When he first came to office, he was overawed by the responsibility and spent most of the time sitting at his desk thinking, "I'm the President!" while Card, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rove ran the show. Rice, Meyers and Gonzales were just hired help and Powell was only hired as a political prop.

After 9-11, Cheney went insane and Bush was shell shocked. Cheney and the Neocons convinced Bush of the glories of being a "War President" and "Commander­-in-Chief" and let them drag him into the Iraq War. Bush's own father knew this was folly and tried to talk to his son, but Cheney's cabal were too much in charge.

By the time Bush finally figured out what was going on, his presidency had been spent. Katrina showed the world how utterly incompetent he was, and Cheney didn't give a damn about FEMA or the hurricane victims. They obviously had a falling out, but by then the damage was done and his presidency was on its way to the ashheap of history, dragging the US economy down with it.

[FCorey]

Excellent synopsis of the 8 year NeoCon coup.

DICK CHENEY = NORMON OSORN.

[Anonani]

Heartbreaking.

[FORLOMC]

Very good synopsis. I once believed that Bush was shell shocked but I no longer belive that, and I don't think Cheney went crazy. I think it was the plan all along to go after Iraq for the oil. I think they all knew Bin Laden was going to attach the US and THEY LET IT HAPPEN, and they let it happen to give them the excuse they needed. I think they were surprised that it happened as quickly at it did, but they were waiting for America to be attacked to justify the war. I think Cheney is simply Evil. Bush is a lazy incompetent and just let the rest do what ever they wanted. Bush approached his job as President with the same lazy approach he did to school, college, and every temp job he did. They cannot get off so easy with me to say we were in shock and awe and just scared. Bulls**T.

[SimianNation]

So when do we get to see the guy on trial?

[Genna]

If we don't act, I think the world will track Cheney or Bush down when they are visiting some country. Then we will have a crisis of confidence in the current U.S. President (will he comply with world opinion and let them try Bush or Cheney? or will he make us war with the world over these torturers?).

If Obama doesn't resolve it, the power to decide will be taken away from him. I don't think this is struggle is necessary. Get the independent prosecutor. Let him/her work with a Congressional commission. Prosecute the higher ups.

I think it is horribly hypocritical to keep those Abu Gharib soldiers in prison and leave CIA operatives and Justice attorneys loose.

[sheilaofmiami]

And the truth comes out.

I thought this was the case. Don't know how reliable Wilkerson is, but this does not surprise me one bit.

Happy Memorial Day, hug a vet!

[peaches49]

This Col. Wilkerson seems to be the only one out there that is willing to "tell it like it is".
Let's hope he continues doing what he is doing.

[chensamabindicka]

Many is the small business office manager doing hard time in Women's Prison for keeping the boss in stunning ignorance while stealing thousands weekly off the company books. Many is the small business owner who is just too damned embarassed to seek a proescution in open court. 5D Cheney? He probably thinks he can become 6D and maybe even try for a seventh evasion. Bush is too embarassed to face up to the truth.

[Anonani]

There is no excuse for the President of the United States not deciding, let alone not knowing, what happens during his watch. That aside....is this a surprise? We all suspected that he was asleep at the wheel. Getting confirmation of it is nauseating!

[YEHWEH]

NO SH@#!

[onedivasinger]

Yeah, well think about another order that I sincerely believe he gave on another fateful day. Then think of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman, and tell me that Cheney wasn't running things before the torture ever started.

[Fremon]

It would not take a brain to assume that Cheney didn't think too much of Bush 2 as President. He knew that he was selected as a partner with Bush because Bush would be in way over his head as President. Cheney would "guide" the way. I presume other party leaders agreed that Bush 2 needed "help". Once into office Cheney probably realized that Bush wasn't really capable and he, meaning Cheney, could do basically anything he wanted and that could mean not telling him everything because Bush could muddy the waters. Remember when they had to appear together during the investigation of 911? I think it was based on both of them to get their stories in line and to insure Bush said nothing that could be called into question. Cheney was there to insure that.

[shecky]

Cheney picked himself.Really.

[fisher65]

um what does the vice president do? um quoting sarah pain hmmmmmmmm , oooops forgot the l.

[FCorey]

That just gave me chills. I pictured the world (with North Korea acting up) with SARAH as VP. My God...we would be headed for WW3 within hours from now.

[ghf]

Let's just accept reality:

Cheney was the worst president in the history of the US.

[Shawn Drewry]

Sounds like an all out power struggle

http://www.ShawnDrewry.com

[bronncohowie]

Gee, what a surprise !! Cheney was really the President !!!