(CNN) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney is again taking aim at President Obama, issuing a statement Monday suggesting the administration's decision to name a prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogations under President Bush fuels "doubts about this administration's ability to be responsible for our nation's security."
"The people involved deserve our gratitude," Cheney said in the statement. "They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions."
The former vice president also said documents released Monday prove enhanced interrogation techniques yielded valuable information that "provided the bulk of intelligence we gained about al Qaeda."
"This intelligence saved lives and prevented terrorist attacks," Cheney said. "These detainees also, according to the documents, played a role in nearly every capture of al Qaeda members and associates since 2002."
"The activities of the CIA in carrying out the policies of the Bush Administration were directly responsible for defeating all efforts by al Qaeda to launch further mass casualty attacks against the United States," he added.
Related: Cheney says documents show interrogations prevented attacks
Late Monday, the government released declassified CIA documents originally requested last May by Cheney. The former vice president had argued they would show enhanced interrogation techniques saved lives.
While analysis in the documents says information from detainee interrogations "helped thwart a number of al-Qaida plots" and "arrests...disrupted attack plans in progress," it remains unclear from the heavily redacted documents whether that information was obtained through the enhanced interrogation techniques Cheney defends.
The documents' release came the same day Attorney General Eric Holder asked federal prosecutor John Durham to examine whether CIA interrogations of suspected terrorists were illegal after the release of a 2004 CIA inspector general's report into further questionable interrogation techniques.
From CNN Politics
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I believe work should be done reviewing these matters for better interrogation tactics in the future. I believe we should raise our standards of interrogation according to the Geneva convention. However, there's nothing to be gained by prosecuting any individuals following executive during any period within time of war. In war, people kill. So then, it is no surprise of being threatened to be killed by your captors once caught. There is nothing to gain here for Democrats. The far left should leave this alone or possibly face being considered "soft" in the theater of war during search and destroy missions.
Stay in Wyoming and enjoy your vast skies and roomy home.
You may soon be moving into a more confined location.
Obama would be smart to bring a GUN to a "GUN FIGHT" since the
republicans or those in charge of that side of the aisle are constantly
bringing false arguments to the "HEALTHCARE" debate......Throw the
KITCHEN SINK AT THEM including the pots and pans!!!!
PROSECUTE THEM! then maybe just maybe they"l stop with the spin
regarding health care GO AFTER those in congress who may have
supported these atrocities!!!! STOP BEING PUNKS DEMOCRATS!!!!
Political prosecution about sums it up. God Bless Cheney. Obama was to bring about a new era of cooperation and change and we have yet to see either in any form of good for the country. He was to transcend race but as you will see here anyone who disagrees with him is called a cracker & a racist. Obama is the worst leader of my liftetime. Funny he rails against corporate riches and then takes a $33K one week vacation to a Republicans estate. He is typical politician only worse.
Of course Cheney's balking – he has a lot to hide! If he is so proud of these programs he should be inviting thorough scrutiny.
The Cheney doth protest too much.
If these tactics yielded useful information and saved this country from attacks, why would Cheney object to a special prosecutor? If he has nothing to hide, or nothing to fear why not just sit back and let the justice system play out?
His loud objections just make everyone believe he has something to hide.
Cheney's afraid they're coming after him.
Ohooooooo you're in some serious heap of trouble Chumney
words of wisdom from one of the most corrupt politicians in our lifetime!
Typical liberal move, look over there, look over there, the sky is falling! Meanwhile, back in DC, let's pass this crap before the American public dopes wake up and figure out we're destroying the Nation.
Cheney has no right to talk about anything, we've got 5,000 soldiers in body bags because he, Rumfeld and Bush decided to pursue the wrong war....a country that had not attacked us in Iraq.
All the while this allowed Al Qaeda and the Taliban to regroup and become stronger because we were spread too thin fighting 2 wars without enough troops in Afghanistan....the country that actually attacked us.
Cheney is a goon, go hunting again and shoot yourself instead of a hunting buddy.
I agree, if done within the law, the "people involved deserve our gratitude", however, saying you are going to kill, hurt or sexually assault family members is so far beyond what is legal, it should be investigated and anyone who did it, and other forms of torture should be prosecuted.
We are a nation of laws! Oh yeh, the ethics in Obama's administration really shines! All these Czaars and Chicago style tricks (what Bush did with fighting Al Quaida, Obama is doing fighting the internal law and order!)...
These enhanced interrogations were disgusting. Cheney is disgusting too. We could have gotton the information through other means and there is no evidence that the lack of an attack has anything to do with the over-the-top interrogation methods. I see no reason why the Obama administration should not question or investigate this. And contrary to what the "talking heads" say, I think this will be good for Obama, not bad.
Please just shut up and go away...you did your damage..let us try to fix it!
Cheney is a criminal. We have a rule of law in the United States of America. His leadership and decisions have put our men and women in uniform at extreme risk if they are captured by any enemy. We are a country of honorable people....not hooligans and torturers.
Cheney is a frightened, arrogant, has been, who knows he has committed crimes for which our brave military will ultimately pay the price.
Obama has the courage to stand up to this abuse and call it out. That is what will make America safe!!!!!
Now that the documents that Cheney wanted declassified have finally been released, can we start the prosecutions? Guantanamo is calling and waiting for the likes of Cheney, Gonzalez, Ashcroft, and, of course, Bush. I'm sure we can make special arrangements and a grand suite for Rice too. Hope to be reading about their new accommodations soon.
Who cares what he thinks? He should be in prison.
Cheney has done more to destroy American democracy than any terrorist bomb ever did. I remember when I was proud of America's morals, ethics and honor. Cheney took all of that away. Now we are a nation which tortures people for the sake of expediency. It makes me want to puke. Give me back my America.
Dick Cheney has more national security knowledge in his little pinky than the whole Obama national security team of advisors. We have all seen what happens to Obama's poll numbers when he placates the hard left.....his numbers go south. We are now truly seeing how inexperiened the president is at governing....brilliant campaigner but terrible leader.
Is there any way to get this guy to shut up? Oh, yeah, there's the CIA ...
Bush's policies saved a lot of lives around the world, People are just quick to forget,Obama will cost us lots of our personal freedoms and gepradize our saftey here and abroad. Write your reps and tell them you disaprove and apply for concealed carry permits and keep your weapons close, protect the second amendment . And defeat his high spending health plan, Especially if your in the mid 50's or older
OHHHH.....I think he is getting very nervous.
Cheney is just another right wing nut who thinks theres nothing wrong with torture and will stop at nothing to get what he want's.
A neocon who think's gun's are the answer to everything.
Sound's to me by the way he talk's about Obama, that he might be a little prejudiced.
Cheney bashes Obama...what a shocker.