White House: Cheney Has His Facts Wrong
5274845A White House spokesman on Monday said former Vice President Dick Cheney had his facts wrong when he criticized the Obama administration's decision to investigate allegedly abusive CIA interrogation techniques.
Cheney on Sunday called the Justice Department investigation an "outrageous political act" that will do significant long term damage to the nation. (Watch more about Cheney's comments here.)
At his regular press briefing Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs brushed aside the criticism as "the same song and dance we've heard since literally the first day of our administration."
"I'm not entirely sure that Dick Cheney's predictions on foreign policy have borne a whole lot of fruit over the last eight years in a way that have been either positive or, to the best of my recollection, very correct," Gibbs said.
Cheney said on Sunday that the harsh interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects were "directly responsible" for the fact that there have been no further mass casualty attacks against the United States since Sept. 11, 2001.
"I think the (former) vice president, if you watched some of his interview, clearly had his facts on a number of things wrong," Gibbs said Monday.
Gibbs contrasted Cheney's statements with Republican Sen. John McCain's comments on CBS's "Face the Nation." Though McCain said it was a "serious mistake" to investigate the interrogations, he said the interrogation techniques of the CIA under the Bush administration were harmful to the U.S.
"What was also illuminating were Sen. McCain's comments yesterday about... the impact that these enhanced interrogation techniques that the president looked at and has now outlawed, the effect that they've had on our standing in the world and our foreign policy," he said. "Given his experience, I think they are tremendously illuminating." (Read and watch more from McCain's appearance on "Face the Nation">)
Gibbs said that the president has banned American-run so-called "black sites," has outlawed "enhanced interrogation techniques" and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"We're going to repair the image of this country and make this country safer," he said.
He said suspected terrorists are not shipped abroad to be tortured but stopped short of saying they are not shipped abroad for interrogations.
"Some may go to other countries to face charges that they have in those countries, but they're not shipped in the dark of night to be tortured," he said.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cheney on Sunday called the Justice Department investigation an "outrageous political act" that will do significant long term damage to the nation. (Watch more about Cheney's comments here.)
At his regular press briefing Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs brushed aside the criticism as "the same song and dance we've heard since literally the first day of our administration."
"I'm not entirely sure that Dick Cheney's predictions on foreign policy have borne a whole lot of fruit over the last eight years in a way that have been either positive or, to the best of my recollection, very correct," Gibbs said.
Cheney said on Sunday that the harsh interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects were "directly responsible" for the fact that there have been no further mass casualty attacks against the United States since Sept. 11, 2001.
"I think the (former) vice president, if you watched some of his interview, clearly had his facts on a number of things wrong," Gibbs said Monday.
Gibbs contrasted Cheney's statements with Republican Sen. John McCain's comments on CBS's "Face the Nation." Though McCain said it was a "serious mistake" to investigate the interrogations, he said the interrogation techniques of the CIA under the Bush administration were harmful to the U.S.
"What was also illuminating were Sen. McCain's comments yesterday about... the impact that these enhanced interrogation techniques that the president looked at and has now outlawed, the effect that they've had on our standing in the world and our foreign policy," he said. "Given his experience, I think they are tremendously illuminating." (Read and watch more from McCain's appearance on "Face the Nation">)
Gibbs said that the president has banned American-run so-called "black sites," has outlawed "enhanced interrogation techniques" and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"We're going to repair the image of this country and make this country safer," he said.
He said suspected terrorists are not shipped abroad to be tortured but stopped short of saying they are not shipped abroad for interrogations.
"Some may go to other countries to face charges that they have in those countries, but they're not shipped in the dark of night to be tortured," he said.
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"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."
John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775
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In my opinion, 'repairing the image of our country' does not necessarily lead to making us safer. Clinton made our country 'look good' and we got attacked less than a year after he left.
Marc1986......you're like shooting fish in a barrel.......you're right.... Clinton had been gone a YEAR.....he also left this country with a giant surplus of cash.....way to go Dick!
by Waitingfor2010 August 31, 2009 11:43 PM EDT
I have been. Not only for the wars, but for his continued illegal abduction of foreign and American citizens and their indefinite incarceration in secret prisons without charge or representation where they are subject to torture and murder.
In fact, there is no tangible difference between the Obama and Bush administrations, no matter the policy, but at least some Americans are awaking to this most distressing truth.
And hopefully their awaking will save us from the abyss into which we have already fallen.
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"The Republican and Democratic parties have delivered us into the hands of darkness."
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A Future of the Brave
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A Future of the Brave