(CNN) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview broadcast Sunday that the Justice Department's decision to review waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques is politically motivated.
Cheney said he opposes the decision by Attorney General Eric Holder to ask a former prosecutor to review CIA interrogations of high-profile terrorism suspects.
Cheney made clear he believes President Obama directed Holder to launch the review because the president is feeling pressure from left-wing Democrats. Cheney said the review will undermine the willingness of CIA personnel to conduct necessary operations.
"I think it's a terrible decision," Cheney said on "Fox News Sunday." "It's clearly a political move. There's no other rationale for why they're doing this."
He criticized Obama for allowing a review considering the president previously said that CIA operatives involved in the interrogations would not be prosecuted. "I think he's trying to duck responsibility for what's going on here, and I think it's wrong," Cheney said.
Updated: 2:43 p.m.
From CNN Politics
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When the head of the cia (Panetta) tried to resign after finding out about the death squads, I think it is safe to say this is not politically motivated at all. If you worry the head of covert operations that is time to stop and do some thinking. I am surprised at how transparent cheney looks defending himself from all theese accusations when for eight years he was beyond question. lotta questions unanswered. Trying to claim that an investigation would insult the cia sounds like a scared politician tring anything to avoid accountability. I can't belive how horribly guilty and cowardly his finger pointing is, right on national tv. Reality tv can't create better scandal and drama. Wait till they audit the fed. next year I'll need a diaper for that newscast.
The rest of the world is laughing, I am just saying.
The more Cheney talks, the more pathetic he becomes. Keep on talking, old man!
Listening to Cheney is like listening to Osama Bin Laden, they both have the same extremist view points and both should be in jail.
Rather than come down on the CIA or other intelligence service, why not put the men who directed the action on trial?. Bush and Cheney shredded the constitution and moved into illegal territory. Punish he men who gave the orders and lied about the legality of it.
Dick Cheney is a compulsive liar and always out to cover his own ass. He's running scared because he knows the investigations are getting closer and closer to exposing his corrupt administration. It may take years, but when people find out what he was really up to it's going to be really bad for him.
It does not matter how Cheney, his daughter–AND, What makes her qualified to be the spokesperson for Bush-Cheney policy–or anyone else tries to defend illegal actions, that doesn't make them legal. I'm tired of Cheney's attempts to rewrite history. When qualified constitutional law professors, and many knowledgeable individuals say that the rule of law was subverted, I believe those who have no vested interest in putting their own political slant on facts.
I'm sorely disappointed at Obama's reluctance to allow full investigation of the illegal actions that were sanctioned by Cheney and others of the Bush administration.
Rather than come down on the CIA or other intelligence service, why not put the men who directed the action on trial?. Bush and Cheney shredded the constitution and moved into illegal territory. Punish the men who gave the orders and lied about the legality of it.
was this same Cheney/Bush administration increased terror level to its highest couple of days before election? was it politics or what.
SHUT UP! What is it going to take for Cheney to go away? A long stint in jail perhaps? Even if Bush administration policies stopped additional terror acts as he repeatedly claims, breaking the law to do so is not an excuse or a justification for breaking our laws. We are a country of laws. Ordinanry citizens, celebritites AND politicans must abide by them or face the consencquences. Cheney mistakenly believed he was above the law. Now he needs to pay for his crimes.
When Al Qaeda attacked us on 911, we should have woken up. We are at war. What do you do during war when someone is going to bomb you? You get that information! Sometimes you have to push ethics to the side and realize you are saving thousands, if not millions of people. Anyone who doesn't think we are at war is blind. History tends to repeat itself. Everyone was sleeping when Hitler almost took over the world. Wake up! Stop blaming the former administration for everything. Vice president Joe supported the iraqi war (and it's supposed "war crimes")
All of you people complaining about the enhanced interrogation techniques (which kept yours – and your families lives – safe) should be ashamed of yourselves. Move to another country if you don't want to be safe. YOU certainly did not lose family or friends during 9/11. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE MURDERED? WHAT ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES? OH, and you are probably the same people who are happy they let the terrorist bomber from Scotland loose for humanitarian reasons because he is DYING. What about the people HE MURDERED??? GO HUG A TREE.
cheney should be prosecuted for treason! no doubt about it! as far as i know he is the only person to reveal the identiy of a u.s. operative for political gain. this may have cost the u.s. lives and our security.
Guess the shoe is on the other foot now eh Cheaney. How does it to feel to be on the receiving end of a criminal investigation? Remember what goes around comes around.
The US was attacked in the early 90's. Clinton caught these people, they were tried, and they were jailed. He THE KEPT US SAFE for 8 years (including thwarting the Millenium Plot). It was only after Bush was elected that the largest failure to protect America ever happen. So basically, Bush/Cheney DID NOT keep America safe.
And for the guy who said Gore would also have attacked Iraq, that is completely laughable and goes against massive amounts of evidence.
Cheney is still trying to cover his backside.
there haven't been any attacks since President Obama been in office either, how does he explain that? according to his faulty logic, Obama should receive credit as well for not having allowed any further terrorist attack on the US, but i doubt if he will do so... why doesn't he take a page from W and just be quiet...
Convention Against Torture and Congress's Section 2340. The treaty, which was approved by more than 70 nations around the world,
Defined torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person ... at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity." Section 2340 contained similar language, defining torture as an "act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering ... upon another person within his custody or physical control."
You have to laugh, I mean how many times the threat level go up when they needed a boost in an election or a poll and oh, those Osama videos always came out at the perfect time. Amazing what you can do will Final Cut Pro.
For the name of GOD, Chaney, just go away...................To Prison
If Al-Quaida was using "Enhanced Interrogation" on U.S. troops then would Cheney and Bush still feel that it is an acceptable means for anyone or any country to obtain information. Obviously, it is the Cheney/Bush phiolosphy that "the means justify the end". Also, why does the Media allow Cheney to get a free pass using the term "Enhanced Interrogation" but if other countries i.e. Iran, N. Korea, Russia, etc were doing the exact same thing, then the U.S. would call it "Torture". A pig is a pig regardless of what you choose to call it! So is torture!
So the Republicans thought investigating and prosecuting Clinton for having an affair and lying about it was appropriate but not investigating TORTURE and MURDER of prisoners of war. Republicans are so hypocritical – Nothing more than a bad cartoon of their former selves
MR Cheney is spot on. The last time the Dumbocrats forced this stupidity on America you personally sanctioned the MURDER of 3000 people in New York by enemies of America. Your PC BS has cost real Americans (I.E, Not anti-American Dumbocrats) freedoms such as the "patriot act". YOUR idiotic PC BS needs to stop and stop NOW. We know who the enemies are and if we shackle our intelligence community again you can bet they'll take advantage of it. Pray (oops you don't believe in god do you...use some of that there hope shinola) its not you or yours. Stupid democrats, freedom earned not given. We have enemies and they have shown themselves. Leave the CIA to do their job. I like my freedom.
Waterboarding is not torture and it worked magnificantly. We should do it more often. Unfortuneately, the democrats have let the terrorists know we will only go so far, so it would be less effective.
Everything is political, including the recent Republicans' attack on healthcare, their rejection against anything that Obama does, why Sarah Palin resigned etc. Obama is just trying to reach out to the other sides when he showed willingness to abandon the public option. They simply want to show that Obama is bad, and uses him to hide all of their faults during the past 8 years. They want to throw the problem with budget deficit to Obama, and forgot who should be responsible in the past... just a bunch of hypocrites... yeap, Democrats are hypocrites, but Republicans are much better hypocrites hiding behind God. (that makes them worst hypocrites!)
Now why would anyone want to investigate the interrogations? Could it be that Mr Cheney allowed, authorized and actively promoted these illegal tactics? I'm sure this is one of many war crimes relative to the Bush administration that he does not want investigated. The master of sophistry is at it again!
What a low life!
Pam in Oregon