Dick Cheney: Obama Showing "Weakness" to U.S. Adversaries

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Republicans

(AP)

Former Vice President Dick Cheney delivered some more harsh commentary on President Obama's leadership, just as the president prepares to address the nation regarding his new Afghanistan policy.

"I begin to get nervous when I see the commander in chief making decisions apparently for what I would describe as small 'p' political reasons, where he's trying to balance off different competing groups in society," Cheney said in an interview with Politico. "Every time he delays, defers, debates, changes his position, it begins to raise questions: Is the commander in chief really behind what they've been asked to do?"

After a 92-day review of the war in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama tonight will lay out to the American public, in a nationally broadcast address, his new battle strategy for the war in Afghanistan. The new plan is expected to include sending more than 30,000 additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan, as well as an increased emphasis on training for Afghan forces in order to allow the U.S. to leave down the line.

Although the president is facing criticism for some on the left for increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan, Cheney told Politico that average Afghan citizen "sees talk about exit strategies and how soon we can get out, instead of talk about how we win."

When asked whether the Bush administration's focus on Iraq was responsible for the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, Cheney reportedly said, "I basically don't," without elaborating.

The former vice president once again chastised Mr. Obama for his "weakness" and for bowing to Japan's Emperor Akihito.

"Here's a guy without much experience, who campaigned against much of what we put in place ... and who now travels around the world apologizing," Cheney said. "I think our adversaries — especially when that's preceded by a deep bow ... — see that as a sign of weakness."

Official: Reaction to Japan Bow Left Obama "Speechless"

Cheney said Republicans have a "respectable shot" at winning back the White House in 2012, though he resisted the idea that he would run for the presidency himself.

"Why would I want to do that?" he said. "It's been a hell of a tour. I've loved it. I have no aspirations for further office."

That hasn't stopped Newsweek's Jon Meacham from suggesting that a presidential bid from Cheney "would be good for the Republicans and good for the country."

More Coverage of Obama's Speech:

Official: 30,000 Troops for Afghan Surge
Obama Speech Is First "Address to the Nation"
Marines to Lead Obama's Afghanistan Surge
CBS News' David Martin on Obama's Plans
Afghan Plan Revives Nation-Building Debate
Spokesman Robert Gibbs on Afghanistan: Not Nation-Building
Politics Today: Obama Makes Critical Decisions
CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by Justiceserved December 2, 2009 5:06 PM EST: Dithering Dick & incompetent George botched Afghanistan for 8 years while they pursued oil & retribution in Iraq. He received 5 deferments for Vietnam service, threw his assistant under bus with regard to VP outing as CIA operative, and just loves torture! Why again is this moron in the news?; Reply to this comment

by 111257 December 2, 2009 10:18 AM EST

I think dick Cheney need to stay in his ranch for good and keep his big voca callada .he and his compadre G. bush were the more stupid president y vics-president in the wooooooorld. (cheney esta locoooooo)

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by Justiceserved December 2, 2009 5:10 PM EST: Our forefathers believed in slavery, only landowner's could vote, debtors prisons, and little if any women's rights, and child labor & rape. Is that what you want to go back to, or would you you prefer that many of them were Atheists? No? There is no perfect past, and we're moving forward in the right direction. Perot, wasn't the country being run as a business the last 8 years part of the problem?


by minnwild December 2, 2009 7:28 AM EST: I agree with Cheney on this one but lets wake up and vote Dems and Repubs out and get a Ross Perot in there. This country needs a wake up call and flush the career politicians out. Though some have done a supurb job most have obviously messed up this Nation enough. We need to CHANGE BACK to our forefathers vision on how we run this Country.; Reply to this comment


by bossmj December 2, 2009 4:07 AM EST: ...but of course. And we shall be greeted as liberators. ...and we shall not cut and run and...AD NAUSEUM.

Now we learn who REALLY run the Country for the last 8 years. Darth Vader with a Napoleon complex.

Has he even got a conscience? The blood of so many of a generation crys out from across the seas, Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, Daughters. He and cronies have massaged and ignorance [via Fox News] of astounding gall {can't read many comments for fear of going catatonic over phrases like obamanation, palling with terrorists, look at the 'facts', bankrupt the nation, increase taxes etc}

This mofo and cronies over simplified highly complex issues with the typical sprinkling of bad rhetoric.

Is he running interference to make sure no detailed investigation is conducted on him? Like M. Bloomberg, rules can be changed if it is for the collective good. VP's should be prosecuted. This smart alec out to set the precedent for conduct unbecoming!; Reply to this comment


by rsee5029 December 1, 2009 7:30 PM EST: Someone PLEASE tell Dickwad Cheney that he is NO LONGER THE VICE PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES and NO ONE CARES TO HEAR ANYTHING HE HAS TO SAY!! I beg of you!!!! Where the hell was he for 8 years when he WAS VP? At a secret UNDISCLOSED LOCATION!! DICK, GO BACK TO YOUR SECRET UNDISCLOSED LOCATION!! THEY'RE PROBABLY STILL OUT THERE LOOKING FOR YOU!! You are SO JEALOUS of PRESIDENT OBAMA, YES, PRESIDENT OBAMA, that you can hardly breathe! You're sick, Dick!! Don't you want to get a head start on your trip to hell, Dick? Go Now!; Reply to this comment


by JamesWilliamsNC December 1, 2009 6:40 PM EST: DICK CHENEY RUNNING HIS MOUTH WHEN HE WAS IN THERE WITH BUSH HE DIDN'T DO NOTHING! HE NEEDS TO SHUT HIS MOUTH UP! HE DIDNT DO S*** SIT THE F*** DOWN!!!

JAMES WILLIAMS; Reply to this comment


by reveal4 December 1, 2009 6:26 PM EST: Don't blame the ex vp. He is no longer responsible for his actions. He went to a "Tea Party." He didn't understand. He boarded the Dick Armey Freedomworks bus. No one told him. The "Tea Party" folks had him in the "Instant Insanitizer" before he knew what hit him. .; Reply to this comment


by asdfqwertyui December 1, 2009 5:56 PM EST: God, what a dick.; Reply to this comment

by liberalameri December 1, 2009 5:51 PM EST

the world will be a safer place when this chenny maddman is lying 6' underground

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by starleo146 December 1, 2009 6:19 PM EST: Man you got that right, again Obama has to clean up a mess they left undone. Has this creep got a mole in the White House, how does he know what was discussed or agreed or disagreed upon. If he and Bush would have taken 92 days to decide before making up lies to leave Afghanistan to go to Iraq. Cheney should keep his mouth shut and just rock in his rocking chair he did enough damage.


by Regensburger December 1, 2009 5:50 PM EST: Exactly who needs Dick Cheney to tell them what the average Afghan citizen is thinking? Wouldn't it be better to ask the actual citizens?

What does Cheney know about what foreigners perceive as signs of weakness, other than that it suits his purposes to see things that way? Why should anyone think Cheney has any idea at all what our adversaries are thinking? How do we know he isn't saying all this for any purposes other than self-serving ones?

He *is* saying all this for self-serving purposes.; Reply to this comment