by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 7, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

     Justifying the Bush’s administration’s controversial surveillance and interrogation program, former Vice President Dick Cheney blasted the White House for making the country less safe.  His proverbial excuse for throwing the Constitution to the wind has been safeguarding the homeland.   Cheney’s only justification for illegal wiretapping and “enhanced” interrogation techniques for Guantanamo Bay “enemy combatants” involved protecting the U.S. from another Sept. 11.  He’s quick to point out the country hasn’t suffered an attack on the homeland since Sept. 11, 2001, proving his approach to homeland security worked.  “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,” said Cheney, criticizing the Obama policy.

            Cheney faces a growing pool of skeptics, unconvinced that Bush’s approach worked to improve U.S. national security.  Cheney’s March 14 comment’s on CNN’s “State of the Union” with John King blasts the Obama White House for dismantling Guantanamo Bay, ending warrantless wiretapping and banning military and CIA controversial interrogation techniques, all of which, according the former VP made the country safer.  “I think those programs were absolutely essential to the success we enjoyed of being able to collect intelligence that let us defeat all further attempts to launch attacks against the United States since 9/11,” said Cheney, hinting at his possible defense should he be indicted for Constitutional breaches.  Former President George W. Bush and Cheney have insisted that all potentially illegal actions were done in defense of U.S. national security.

            Vice President Joe Biden forcefully rebuked Cheney for suggesting that the Obama administration weakened national security, speaking April 6 on CNN’s “Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer.  “I don’t think he’s out of line, but he is dead wrong . . .” said Biden, disputing Cheney’s charges that the U.S. is less safe under then new administration.  Biden pointed out the U.S. armed services under Bush and Cheney were stretched way too thin, especially diverting the lion’s share of troops to Iraq, where there was no national security threat.  Noting that U.S. credibility was damaged around the globe, Biden indicated the White House was involved in global damage control campaign.  “. . . I guarantee you we are safer today, our interests are more secure today than they were any time during the last eight years,” insisted Biden, calling Cheney’s remarks unfounded.

            Speaking to U.S. forces in Iraq, President Barack Obama thanked the troops for their sacrifice and hard work but reminded them that it was time for the Iraqis to do the heavy lifting.  Despite more violence, he’s committed to his 16-18 month timetable of ending U.S. combat operations.  Barack has already committed to redeploying 21,000 troops to Afghanistan where he said repeatedly during the campaign that real battle against al-Qaida and the Taliban lies.  Cheney insists that everything done by the Bush White House was above-board.   He’s growing uneasy with the Democratic Congress considering Bush administration officials with violating U.S. laws.  “I think that’s a great success story.  It was done legally.  It was done in accordance with our constitutional practices and principles,” insisted Cheney, hoping that he can discourage Congress—and an eventual grand jury—from indicting him.

            Under former White House Counsel and Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales, forced to resign Aug. 27, 2007 in disgrace because of contradictory statements made before Congress regarding the firing of nine attorneys general.  Gonzales was also instrumental in redefining, shortly after Sept. 11, prisoners of wars as “enemy combatants,” authorizing the Bush White House to deprive Guantanamo Bay prisoners of treatment under the Geneva Convention, essentially denying them the right to counsel AKA habeas corpus.   Cheney now wants to rewrite history—and the Constitution—to fit his eccentric definitions applied under the Oct. 26, 2001 Patriot Act [PL107-56] to manage threats to the U.S. homeland.  Biden points out that under Cheney the State and Justice Depts. and Pentagon battled for supremacy, especially in the area of intelligence and global law enforcement.

            Cheney wants to clear his good name of any allegations of wrongdoing, especially in his role conducting the war on terror following Sept. 11.  Because the Patriot Act was passed by Congress, it’s going to be difficult to prosecute Cheney for high crimes and misdemeanors, especially because the law gave the White House unprecedented latitude to protect the homeland.  “President Obama campaigned against it all across the country.  An now he is making some choice that, in my mind, will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack,” said Cheney, hinting at his defense should he face indictments for breaching U.S. laws.  When Biden called Cheney Oct. 3, 2008 the most dangerous vice president in U.S. history, he was talking about his the clandestine way in which he controlled the Pentagon—especially defense intelligence—making up his own rules along the way.

 About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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