Cheney: Obama decisions are putting country at risk
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/03/15/cheney5.jpg
caption="Photo Credit: Josh Rubin/CNN."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney told CNN's John King Sunday that he believed President Obama's decision to eliminate the use of many of the most controversial interrogation practices used under the former administration had put the country at risk.
Asked whether he thought those moves had made the United States less safe, Cheney said he did. "I think those programs were absolutely essential to the success we enjoy, of being able to collect the intelligence that let us defeat all further attempts to launch attacks against the United States since 9/11," he said on State of the Union. "I think it's a great success story. It was done legally, it was done in accordance with our constitutional practices and principles..."
Watch Cheney tout Bush administration accomplishments
Obama campaigned against those practices, said Cheney, "and now he's making some choices that in my mind will raise the risk to the American people of another attack."
From CNN Politics
- These 5 states will be the first to kick residents off Medicaid starting in April
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Inside the long and winding road to Trump's historic indictment
- Listen: After negotiating a peace deal, Jimmy Carter taught this Bible class
- Abortion foes take aim at ballot initiatives in next phase of post-Dobbs political fights
- Untitled
Dear Obama,
Arrest and prosecute this war criminal.
Thanks,
All of America
Please, Mr. Cheney, go back to Wyoming and enter with great gusto into retirement permanently.
Cheney's policies have exposed us ALL to greater danger. The use of torture and waterboarding and other Bush-era interrogation techniques have driven thousands of young men across the Middle East into the waiting arms of radical terror groups who might have otherwise stayed moderate. The arrogance he displays by suggesting that ending torture/waterboarding/etc.will "put the country at risk" is staggering to the point of incredulity.
At this point, I can't think of a person who represents a BIGGER danger to American values and safety than Richard Cheney.
no you made us less safe financially politically and internationally you right wing nut.
Pouring water over someone's face to simulate drowning is torture any way you slice it. Its a terrifying experience that no human being should have to endure. Cheney is wrong, and should be prosecuted accordingly.
Mr. Cheney, your opinions are not valued by the American people. Haven't you figured that out yet? Please go back to that life you built on BigOil. (It's a nice, comfy life, after all.)
Then, for the rest of your days (may they be long and healthy) please shut up.
What a pathetic person! Cheney is still trying to justify torture and illegal detention by trotting out the old "terrorist behind every bush" (play on words).
This dark person did (by manipulating people – especially the moron who was President) incredible damage to our country.
Good riddance! Hopefully he will some day understand that NO ONE cares what he thinks.
Yea, Chaney still touting your own horn, unfunded war kept of the books, violation of more laws that some people who are currently in jail. Anything you say is worth as much as a bridge in Alaska leading to Russia I am about to sell.
Bush and Cheney put the country at risk. They should have been impeached and should still be prosecuted for their crimes.
Ah, yes, Cheney hasn't changed a bit. When public opinion turns against you, clearly one must incite fear.
Remind me again why this war criminal has not been prosecuted yet?
Dick,
It's over. Go away.
Lou
Go back into hiding Cheney – guess what, we don't believe you, never did and never will.
These guys continue to delude themselves and the rest of the country. They were torturing people! All they got was lies...lies about WMD in Iraq etc. People will say anything under torture. This is not what our country is based on. It makes us as bad as the other guys not to mention we were breaking treaties doing it. Put this guy in jail.
Cheney’s campaign of fear continues to ensure financial support the defense companies he is involved with. It’s reprehensible destructive for Cheney to say such things – he has done enough damage to this country – Dick go away.
I have one word for Mr. Cheney, .... "BULL". It was not done according to our principles, which include more than the constitution, they include the Geneva Convention which was most certainly violated. Be careful not to become the monster you seek, Mr. Cheney... oh wait, I'm sorry, you already did.
I agree that torture OR safety is a false choice. There are proven interrogation methods that work to obtain information. In the long run, we need to be able to say that we did not become the terrorists we are fighting.
Take your sour grapes and go home, Mr. Cheney, and fade gracefully into the woodwork and let the new, younger, more pragmatic, intelligent government take over and try to clean up the colossal mess you and your neo-conversative, evangelical, narcissistic cronies created. If I never hear from Dick Cheney again, it would be okay with me.
I love that he believes not torturing people is dangerous. And totally legal.
Yeah, America was so much safer under the Bush Administration policies. Even are long-standing allies were building up strong resentments toward the U.S. because of the arrogance that Cheney and Bush call diplomacy. Cheney has forgot that the world is not long a place where the guy with the biggest bomb is the more respected. He's never understood that the world changed (and he forgot to change with it). He's obviously the worst Vice President at least of the modern era.
The American people have rejected the policies of torture and unlawful detention and rendition. Obama is cleaning up after one of the most destructive and evil administrations this country has ever had. Why are you giving air time and credibility to this man. He should be behind bars for crimes against humanity.
How can Cheney speak of risk to the USA after the Cheney/Bush administration allowed 9/11 and the destruction of the economy to happen?
Who's he kidding? This mentally unstable war monger along with his chimpanzee buddy Bush put this nation in graver danger yet. Why does anybody take ANYTHING this bozo says seriously?
I guess we'll find out over the next four years if this is more hot air from the failed Bush administration or naivety of the Obama admin. Wouldn't have McCain also stopped these practices too?
Now Cheney is talking openly taking responsibility for having tortured and violating the Geneva Convention, and why is he not yet in prison for war crimes?
wow! so we should torture???? this guy is so unbelievably frightening. his methods didn't work, the taliban has taken new strongholds, pakistan is on the brink of failure, and he thinks obama's methods are unsafe. it seems that everything cheney did, advocated, and destroyed (including our constitution) have led to a much less stable world. we have to do the opposite of this man's policies to succeed at all. crawl back under that rock you are no longer (vice) president.
Obama isn't putting the country at risk, unlike You and Bush who put country under all the while lining your pockets
If Cheney thinks it's a bad idea then President Obama is doing a great job. Cheney is a JOKE and he's a character from a Batman movie. THE JOKER. CNN love conflict and strife and Cheney is the man for the job.