(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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Oh Cheney, Cheney. Why don't you go back under your rock and keep quiet. We all know what you are and what you represent. Maybe if you just shut up we will let you get away with your war crimes. On second thought, keep talking.
Cheney who? did you mean Cheney the liar, cheat, coward and croock?
Cheney still does not understand that the "rationale for this" investigation is that this is America and we are a country of laws, and if those laws are broken the perpetrators are prosecuted.
Those who are making the argument that Cheney is right for calling investing CIA interrogations a political move are flat out wrong because that undermines our values – justice for violations of the laws, regulations, and proper procedures. These are the arguments we should debate about, not talking points of those who put their own agendas above the law. Remember that people!
Spoken like someone who's truly afraid to pay for his crimes against humanity. It's alright. In history you'll go down as a sick slaughter.
This country has prosecuted people for waterboarding. Somehow, now that Dick Cheney decided to do it, it should be legal? That's not the way the law works. Reagan signed treaties agreeing that it was illegal. Cheney has violated those treaties and our laws. It does not matter if it works or not. I'm sure it worked for the Germans when they were doing it to OUR soldiers. It was wrong then. We prosecuted them for it. It was wrong when Cheney ordered it and he should be prosecuted for it NOW.
Obummer can’t get his socialist agenda by America so he’s going back to blaming Bush for cover.
We water board terrorists so what people! The terrorists (referred to as naughty misguided bad boys by the liberals) happens to saw off their victim's heads. I could care less is someone who wish to kill Americans happens to get a little water up their nose. Too bad we're stuck with a bunch of wimps in the WH for another 3 1/2 years
"When the law brakes the law then there is no law. All there is left is just a fight for survival." - Quote from Billy Jack. 99.999% of Politicians are one notch below child molesters so how on earth can you believe a word that comes out of any of these bullcrap rats. The Democrat and Republican party are the main cause of the downfall of our beautiful country. They both want to justify there bullcrap but in the end they are both useless and rotten to the bone. All gov"ts and religions are corrupted and evil. This is not a general statement. This is the truth. "It is better to die standing, than to live on your knees." - Emiliano Zapata. The world must wake up before it is to late. The big fish are eating all the little fish.
Just think this guy would have became president if something happened to Bush, and that is a scary thought. As a matter of fact I think he was running things behind Bush"s back. He should be the one that should go to jail for a very long time as far as I am concerned.
Let me see if I have this right. When a Democratic President gets a blow job, it's a federal offense and there needs to be a special prosecutor so that we can find truth and justice; but when a Republican President lies to the American people and takes us into an illegal war, condones torture and gives sweet no-bid contracts to profiteers of that war...that's not a federal offense needing a special prosecutor to seek truth and justice, but politically motivated?
Oh, yes Fox's favorite son surprise surprise...I think is main motivation to scare the hell out of the American people, and some are falling for it. What is he suppose to say "oops". This man is a disgrace to the American people, at least some of them!!!!!!!
Politically motivated? Dick, what was politically motivated was your firing US attorneys that didn’t “play ball” and support your political and administration initiatives. I am surprised dicks not already in Dubai living on the Halliburton profits earned with the blood of our troops. This man needs to go to jail! It would be the first step in regaining any respect we once held in the worlds eyes.
Any of the heavy hitters who pushed for the invasion of Iraq really, really, really have a hard time defending the reasons why we diverted troops and money from the true war effort in Afghanistan. That should be a tip off for all you Fox fans that your listening to crap.
So you torture anyone (yes, waterboarding is torture) who you think may be a threat. Some are, some aren't. You show the rest of the world that torture is okay, if you feel like it's justified. Who decides when it's justified? So then, our troops get captured. The captors think it's justified because they truly feel threatened. So, our troops get tortured. Do we sit back and say, "oh that's okay, they think it's justified"? The people who should be tried here are Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush, Gonzales, etc. They started this policy from the top down. They've disgraced this country and what we are supposed to stand for.
Straight on man! ""I think he's trying to duck responsibility for what's going on here, and I think it's wrong," Cheney said, on FOX (puff TV). He's just afraid he's going to jail, and he has a right to be!
Chaney says, "he believes President Barack Obama directed Holder to launch a review..." Really? was he using the the same deck of tarot cards and or crystal ball that told him where the WMD's where?
Funny how Cheney twists things to fit what he thinks is right for him. Man we never heard so much from him when he was VP...
If he did nothing wrong then why all the outrage by him? The truth will show us. Seems the truth coming out is worrying Cheney...
Cheney learn from your past boss and go away quitely.
45 U.S. troups have been killed this month...why don't you and Obama say something about that?
I thought Obama was change we can believe in....the budget deficit for this year has tripled, you have 40+ Czars in the White House(plus advisors), they have a Senate Bill to give Obama control over the internet,....you can believe things have gone from bad to WORSE.
How does Cheney think he is credible on anything he says? The one puzzling thing I would like questioned is why Cheney and Bush LIED over and over that they did NOT waterboard, torture (and waterboarding is considered torture). Now Cheney is ready to freely admit, yes, he knew about the waterboarding. People need to question his previous lying.
The man is a liar and in my opinion nothing he says is credible. Of course, he takes his airtime with Fox so they can assist in spewing propaganda from the right-wing extremists. The goal here of the right is to attempt to destroy the current administration by any possible means.
We are so well rid of that bunch.
I don't care if the techniques saved American lives, I care that they give up American values. We can't win a war by changing who we are.
Every word out of Mr. Cheney's mouth is political. He plays to his base and America's enemies. They can run with his words and do much harm. He had his 15 minutes of fame and doesn't seem to have the decency that our previous Vice Presidents had to fade into the sunset. Yes, there are times when he should talk but his mantra is the same as in the past. He may truly believe what he says, but all he does is stir up trouble. His silence really would be golden.
No body in this United States is above the "LAW". Including Cheney!
you people dont seem to understand that there is such a thing as international law. torture is in humane and against the law in the international community. its clearly spelled out by the geneva conventions. cheney, bush, etc... clearly broke the law and must be held accountable.
With all due respect, Mr. Vice President, the ends do not justify the means in these cases.
You are a career politician, and the mere accusation of political motivation is political per se, sir.
The president is charged with leading the nation; his attorney general is in charge of enforcing the law. If the law was broken, there is no excuse or reason or rationale that should undermine punishing those who broke it.
You are not above the law.