Diplomat blows off Cheney dig at Obama
WASHINGTON (CNN) – A senior diplomat in the Obama administration Sunday challenged former Vice President Dick Cheney’s assessment of the new administration’s ability to keep the country safe.
Cheney was asked two weeks ago on CNN’s State of the Union whether he thought President Obama had made the country less safe since taking office. “I do,” Cheney told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. “He is making some choices that, in my mind, will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack,” the former vice president added.
But U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke, a senior diplomat in Obama’s State Department, said Sunday that he didn’t understand where Cheney was coming from with his criticism.
“I don’t have a clue what he’s talking about,” Holbrooke said,
“We are treating Afghanistan and Pakistan as a single theater. We are going to address it in an integrated way. We are going to give it more resources. And that is where the people planning the next attack on the United States or on our European allies are certainly doing it. So I just do not understand what his comments were referenced to.”
Gen. David Petraeus, echoed Holbrooke. “You served in the Bush administration under Vice President Cheney and President Bush,” King said to Petraeus. “You're now serving in the Obama administration. Are the American people less safe because of this new president?” King asked
“I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that,” the U.S. CENTCOM commander said Sunday.
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When will Cheney be indicted and tried?
is that we've had no attacks on U.S. soil for almost 8 years because Bush did things the right way .....
Obama, by closing Guantanamo, and coddling the terrorists, will embolden Al Qaeda to attack again-–
Buy your armored cars today....
Change is coming on 21 Jan 2013
Umm, he closed Gitmo a week into office and freed terrorists. Richard Holbrook cannot see how Obama has made our country more likely for an attack? HE FREED TERRORISTS!!!
After Shotgun Dick and AWOL Dumbya were caught sleeping at the wheel on 9/11 after being warned I'd say that they made America less safe.
Dick Cheney had eight years at the helm. If he had any real insight, he had plenty of time to formulate a plan and implement it. His results speak for themselves. Time for him to shut his piehole and let the duly elected officials do their job. He had his chance, and his opinion was rendered irrelevant by his own ineffectiveness.
But of course ... everyone knows no one can protect the country like the Republicans can (giggle)! These people would like every American to think that they singly hold the key to our security. Wake up folks ...it ain't so !!!
Cheney is gambling. After all, he only has to be right once.
Criticism from Cheney is akin to Goering criticizing Churchill!
Obama is making us less safe, because he is pursuing the same policies as cheney, with only minor differences and timelines. Obama is not bold enough to make the necessary changes we need. he has capitulated to the right, just like all bluedog dems do. Cheney should be pleased that Obama has done so little to actually change anything. he and obama are both of the same mind.
Anyone who views Dick Cheney as anything other than a "War Crimes Defendant" is fooling themselves. I look forward to the results of the Spanish Indictment of Attorney General Gonzales and others, with the trail leading to Cheney, and eventually George Bush. Throughout history, people have come to understand the effects of war crimes, regardless of the weak justifications provided at War Crime Trials. When people in high positions are given unlimited power, they often tread on Civil Liberties. In my book, Dick Cheney is a War Criminal.
The war criminal hid under a rock for 7 out of the 8 while he robbed the American taxpayers.....not want the President to continue the distractions that worked so well for them. War/terrorist was distractions while the administration robbed the country with the help of Big companies, wall street and banks. Obama will keep us safe, as well as build a Foundation for our economy.
Haven't seen Cheney for years, now he's in the news all the time! What the heck has he been doing for the last 4 years?
Ther comments from Chaney are the same hawg wash we had to put up with for eight years.
Dick Cheney is a criminal man with no honor at all! He lied, scared and ripped the American people off big time and caused death and destruction around the word wile lining his pockets. Alone seeing him SITTING at the inauguration of President Obama showed no respect. A smart, honest, caring President that will bring change and great ideas to the American people – he could not stand for that! Injury – my foot! Thank God, most Americans have woken up and are participating now – you must for your own good – because, there is always a Bush around the corner!
Cheney, and the rest nearly bankrupted the this country destroying another country that wasn't a problem to begin with. What qualifies him to comment? They didn't keep this country safe. As long as there are thousands of people in airports walking around in their sock feet, they don't need to attack... mission accomplished.
Here's my bet... Obama will kill Bin Ladin and all his friends. Why am I so sure??? Because he's pointing the guns in the right direction. We already know about Cheney, give him a gun and he'll shoot the wrong thing.
Bush & Cheney's actions accelerated the number of Arabs and/or Muslims that were signing up to be terrorists. There are MORE suicide bombers, MORE up & coming diabolical masterminds, because of their abuses of American principles of due process. Cheney & Co. have made us LESS safe. Hard to factually dispute that one.
The claims that there have been no attacks since 9-11 ignore what happened in London & Spain. It is the WEST that Al Queda is attacking ... not just America. So those claims of success are overblown.
The fact is that Bush & Cheney ignored warnings about Al Queda in August of 2001 and they are trying to live that down ... trying to rewrite that history.
Cheney's comments are meant to serve himself, not the nation.
No surprises here. Since when did the GOP or its administrations ever let the facts or evidence get in the way of their rhetoric or the best interests of the Nation? It is precisely this mentality that keeps us divided and on the wrong road to real peace and prosperity.
Yeah, well you didn't keep us safe, 9/11 happened on your and Bush's watch.
President Obama would make the country "more safe" by arresting Dick Cheney and charging him with war crimes!
I totally understand where he is coming from. Cheney has been chief fear-monger from day one. He is just continuing in that role.
Nobody should worry about anything Cheney has to say. After destroying the US he should have left the DC area; however, he probably thinks he still has some influence.
Cheney has done enough damage to this country, he should at least have he decency to stay quite now.
That is funny Dick. Good job keeping us safe on 9/11.
Cheney's 15 minutes are up. The world is now safer and more ethical because he has left the building.