(CNN) – President Obama said in an interview aired Sunday that the hardest decision he's made since taking office was to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Also in the interview on CBS' "60 Minutes," Obama defended his decision to shut down the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and he countered criticism from former vice president Dick Cheney.
"I fundamentally disagree with Dick Cheney - not surprisingly," Obama said. "I think that Vice President Cheney has been at the head of a movement whose notion is somehow that we can't reconcile our core values, our Constitution, our belief that we don't torture, with our national security interests. I think he's drawing the wrong lesson from history."
Obama was responding to comments Cheney made to CNN's "State of the Union" on March 15, when he said the president is making the nation less safe by closing the Guantanamo prison and ending interrogation practices that Bush administration critics consider torture for terror suspects.
From CNN Politics
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If Cheney were so correct about everything, how come the nation is in the dumper?
Good for President Obama. It's about time democrats start hitting back. However, the President's interviewer was on Sunday talk saying he was surprised Obama went after Cheney. So where was the surprise in Cheney going after Obama? If media starts letting Hannity and Limbaugh dictate the talking points, we're in trouble.
Listening to Cheney makes me sick. Why have we not put him on trial and then in jail. Bush was bad enough but this guy is true evil.
Tell me again why we care about Dick Cheney? Did the Bush Administration get Osama Bin Laden and just forget to tell us? Did they catch the REAL anthrax guy? How many terrorists were found guilty during their time in office? What's that? ZERO you say?!
The guy is a complete fraud. For some reason people think he's an expert on terrorism and stuff because he was there for 9/11. That's kind of like saying the mayor of New Orleans is a hurricane expert. Every objective observer has said that Gitmo is more of a recruiting tool for terrorists than anything else. Keeping it open was creating more terrorists worldwide than we could ever keep up with. He should be ashamed of himself.
When will Obama take ownership and quit campaigning? He wanted to be President, he got it, now quit blaming Bush. It's your administration now Obama. I'm sick of hearing you whine.
56% and dropping.
I believe that President Obama should keep GITMO open for the likes of Bush, Cheney, Limbaugh, the CEOs of AIG, Citibank, GM, Chrysler and the UAW "leaders".
No need to heat and plenty to eat... grown in the rocky soil of GITMO!
Get them out of OUR America... it's clearly not theirs!
Cheney needs to put a sock in it. The man is evil, and everyone, including his former employees, knows it.
That's right Obama, rebuke the devil.
I love reading these blogs and hearing people quote organizations, experts and or anybody else giving their opinion on the economy. If these people were so worthy of your praise, why are we in this mess today? They should have seen it coming and done something about it!
What Bush and Cheney did in the name of the United States is unconscionable. They broke treaties, disregarded the constitution and made us one of the most hated countries in the world. How can torture be justified when it gives other countries a license to torture our troops and citizens? They became big brother personified, which is ironic considering republicans rallying cry is "smaller government".
The President had every right to denounce Cheney and his torture rooms. Cheney is the one who has made us left safe. Gitmo was and still is being used by extremeist to recruit jihadists. Cheney is the one pinned the bulls-eye on our back.
Cheney is a criminal; he belongs in a cell...for life.
Cheney is a warmonger and likes blood and guts as long as its not his.
So the hardest decision Barack Obama has faced since taking office was to live up to one of his campaign promises? This says a great deal about Mr. Obama and his honesty, or lack thereof, while campaigning for the presidency.
Maybe he should have spent a little more time on his decision to bankrupt the nation with a spending spree unlike any we have seen before. He clearly made that one with too little thought.
Instead of Obama Rebuking Cheney, I'd wish he would arrest cheney and bush for this mess they caused and can just leisurely walk away from it. I hope they both burn in hell.
On one hand I think President Obama should defend himself, but on the other hand he should hold himself higher than that.
I like his confidence. Good job putting Cheney in his place!!!!!!!!!
And yet Pres. Obama is continuing the Bush-Cheney policies.
Although I voted for Obama and strongly disagree with his giving billions to banks and investment companies, I am gleeful that he is "giving it back to Darth Vadar Cheney".
Cheney needs to be put in his place.
Way to go O – he hit the curmudgeon will both barrels. Well stated.
stick it to him Obama you are 1000 times the man that coward cheney could ever dream of being.
Smart move Barack,
Better draw a very wide and deep line in the sand which clearly shows that you are 100% opposed to the Neo-Nazi Policies of Cheney.
Criminal acts in the name of Patriotism are still criminal acts.
Cheney should be facing charges.
Maybe Cheney thinks Obama is making our country less safe but we are safer with Cheney out of office Even better out of Washington.
Agree with everything that the President said in relationship to the Cheney run way of dealing with prisoners, torture and the way we have presented ourselves to the world.
It was a shameful time that lost us more than Cheney could ever claim we benefited.
We had the support of the world and lost it quickly.