The Cheney Exit Interview

On "Face The Nation," Vice President Talks About Iraq, Executive Powers, And Why Obama Needs To Keep Gitmo

(CBS)  Vice President Dick Cheney is confident that not only have the Bush administration's controversial surveillance and detention policies proved successful in fending off another terrorist attack in the United States, but that, if he had the chance, he would do it all over again.

Likewise, he said Iraqis were better off because of regime change spurred by the U.S. invasion, and that he would advise President-elect Barack Obama to maintain the Administration's surveillance program and keep open the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Appearing on CBS' Face The Nation, the vice president talked at length with host Bob Schieffer about the record of the administration, including its controversial torture program, national security, Saturday's incursion by Israeli ground forces into the Gaza Strip, and the United States' military intervention in Iraq.

Schieffer started the interview with the now-classic question asked of departing administrations: "Are we better off now than we were eight years ago?"

"I think we've done some very good things over the course of the last eight years," Cheney said. "Defending the country against further terrorist attacks like 9/11, I think, is a major accomplishment, for example. I think we made progress on education with No Child Left Behind and prescription drug benefits for seniors, and so forth. I can point to tax policies, a series of policies and actions that were put in place that were significant progress.

"There's no question that the new administration and President Obama are going to have their hands full with a new set of problems, if you will, centered especially upon the economy, upon the difficulties that have developed in the financial markets over the last six months."

He said that just as each administration faces a unique challenge - with his, it was 9/11 and its aftermath - "the Obama administration certainly has theirs."

Regime Change And The U.S. Invasion Of Iraq

While avoiding a general answer to "Are we better off?" Cheney did not hesitate to proclaim Iraqis better off because of the regime change initiated by the American invasion.

"I think Iraq is much better off than it was before we went in in '03 and got rid of Saddam Hussein," he said. "I think we are close to achieving most of our objectives. We've seen a significant reduction in the overall level of violence; it's lower now than virtually anytime since we've been there in the spring of '03. We've seen the elimination of one of the world's worst regimes. We've seen the Iraqis write a constitution and hold three national elections. We've now entered into a strategic framework agreement with the Iraqis that calls for ultimately the U.S. completion of the assignment and withdrawal of our forces from Iraq.

"All of those things I think by anybody's standard would be evidence of significant success. And I think we're very close to achieving what it is we set out to do five years ago when we first went into Iraq.

Cheney said that Saddam Hussein, in standing up to the looming threat of an American-led invasion in 2003, "clearly was into self-deception in a major way. I think he totally underestimated George Bush and what we were prepared to do. He tried to sort of bluff his way through, I guess, would be the best way to describe it, and we called his bluff.

"This is a guy who had started two wars," Cheney said of Saddam, "who had killed hundreds of thousands of people, including many of his own, with weapons of mass destruction. It was one of the most despicable regimes of the 20th century. And he thought he could get away with continuing that. And I think he assumed that the U.S. would never go in. And he was wrong."

When Schieffer asked if the original plans for invasion and occupation were flawed, and if some of the bloody fallout that followed could have been avoided if the U.S. had deployed a larger number of troops, Cheney said he had miscalculated both the damage done to Iraqis by Saddam's brutal past and also what he characterized as an inability or unwillingness on the part of Iraqis to take charge themselves, in the vacuum that existed once Saddam was overthrown.

"We could debate that forever, and we may well," he said. "I think that the original campaign was masterfully done, in terms of the small, fast-moving force, as you say, that achieved our initial objectives of taking down the regime and capturing Baghdad. It was a masterful performance.

"I think the thing that we underestimated, at least I underestimated, was the damage that had been done to the Iraqi population by all those years of Saddam's rule, so that there weren't any Iraqis early on who were willing to stand up and take responsibility for their own affairs. Anybody who had had that kind of get-up-and-go in earlier years had had their head chopped off.

"And I think we underestimated the damage that had been done during those years of Saddam's rule, as well as what happened in '91, you may remember, when they rose up after the Gulf War and Saddam, you know, very brutally and very aggressively put down those uprisings around the country. So I would chalk that up to miscalculation."

Cheney said because of the power vacuum, he did not think a larger invasion force - even 400,000 to 500,000 troops - would have achieved the post-invasion objectives. Yet he said that the increase in U.S. troops, the so-called surge, coupled with a counterinsurgency strategy was what "got us across the goal line."

Schieffer asked if the advances made since a larger ground force was deployed didn’t actually undermine Cheney's argument that more troops from the start wouldn’t have prevented problems.

"Well, the number of troops we put in weren't that much more than we'd had there before," he said. "We added five brigades. This is, what, maybe 30,000 men. And it was up close to where we'd been at the time of the elections, when we had forces there to monitor the elections and to provide security for the Iraqis to hold elections.

"We never went over 200,000 troops. We were always significantly below that. And we still succeeded."

"How do you think we got it so wrong?" Schieffer asked. "I mean, we thought he had weapons of mass destruction and he didn't; we thought we would be greeted with open arms and we weren't. What happened?"

"Well, I don't look at it as we got it so wrong, Bob."

"We got a big part of it wrong," Schieffer said. "There weren't any weapons of mass destruction."

"Correct. The original intelligence was wrong, no question about it. But there were parts of it that were right. It wasn't 100 percent wrong. It was correct in saying he had the technology. It was correct in saying he still had the people who knew how to build weapons of mass destruction. I think it was also correct in the assessment that once sanctions came off, he would go back to doing what he had been doing before.

"Where it was wrong was [where it] said he had stockpiles, and he clearly didn't. So the intelligence was flawed. But you never have perfect intelligence in this business. You have got to deal with the best you can in terms of making your decisions."

"Do you think that perhaps you'd looked at the intelligence and saw what you wanted to see rather than make a real logical analysis of what you saw?" Schieffer asked.

"It wasn't a matter just of us looking and seeing what we wanted to see. Everybody believed that intelligence. Saddam Hussein had peddled that notion to his senior officers and officials. They all believed he had weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence services of other countries, the Clinton administration that had been there for eight years before we had, had exactly the same conclusion that we had. And we had numerous reports afterwards with all the studies that were done - the Robb-Silberman commission, the Senate Intelligence Committee - that said that there was no manipulation of the data, no pressure brought to bear on the analysis. This is what they saw, and they got part of it wrong."


The Gaza Conflict

Cheney told Schieffer that the Israeli government did not seek approval or clearance from the U.S. before launching its ground assault. "They have said, now, for a period of months - they told me on my last trip over there - that they didn't want to have to act, where Gaza was concerned - they had gotten out of there three years ago - but if the rocketing didn't stop, they felt they had no choice but to take action.”

[catlady1412]

Wow! This guy is going to be really shocked when he leaves his protective underground bunker and finds out people really hate him! It was pathetic when he issued his endorsement of McCain as if that was a good thing and when he went to rally Congress to pass the first bailout proposal. I don''t think he really does know what people are saying or thinking about him. He is seriously delusional.

[texasbeta]

Posted by jedi23231-

Actually, we get mad because he just blatantly denies facts...he is one of those guys who will claim the moon is made of cheese. The guy should be tried for treason and executed.

[polyjunky]

That is the worse case of history revision I have ever seen. Are these people delusional?

[polyjunky]

That is the worse case of history revision I have ever seen. Are these people delusional?

[daffy64]

"This is a guy who had started two wars," Cheney said of Saddam, "who had killed hundreds of thousands of people, including many of his own, with weapons of mass destruction. It was one of the most despicable regimes of the 20th century. And he thought he could get away with continuing that."

---

Is he talking about the Bush regime?????

[daffy64]

Dear Bob Schieffer,
That interview with VP Cheney yesterday was painful to watch. You blew it. He condescended you and you cowered just like 95% of journalists did pre-Iraq war. Whatever happened to ''''follow-ups'''' and on your own show, no less. I''''m embarrassed for you and the nation. Thank you.

---

He was probably scared of getting shot in the face.

[jakiamik-2009]

chenoid calls saddam self delusional in his blather with schieffer, hilarious. if any two hate robots on earth know what self delusion is it would be chenoid and monkey boy. if he had it to do again, he said he''d do the very same thing....a criminal confessing and then threatening to kill again.

it would be lovely to see them put on trial (and they should be) but just the satisfaction that they''ll be gone and they''ve damaged their own putrid party almost beyond repair is enough to make each day better.

good bye ***

[jokr8790]

The Bush Administration, the best recruiters Al Quaeda ever had!

[jakiamik-2009]

chenoid calls saddam self delusional in his blather with schieffer, hilarious. if any two hate robots on earth know what self delusion is it would be chenoid and monkey boy. if he had it to do again, he said he''d do the very same thing....a criminal confessing and then threatening to kill again.

it would be lovely to see them put on trial (and they should be) but just the satisfaction that they''ll be gone and they''ve damaged their own putrid party almost beyond repair is enough to make each day better.

good bye ***

[jakiamik-2009]

chenoid calls saddam self delusional in his blather with schieffer, hilarious. if any two hate robots on earth know what self delusion is it would be chenoid and monkey boy. if he had it to do again, he said he''d do the very same thing....a criminal confessing and then threatening to kill again.

it would be lovely to see them on trial but just the satisfaction that they''ll be gone and they''ve damaged their own putrid party almost beyond repair is enough to make each day better.

good bye ***

[jakiamik-2009]

chenoid calls saddam self delusional in his blather with schieffer, hilarious. if any two hate robots on earth know what self delusion is it would be chenoid and monkey boy. if he had it to do again, he said he''d do the very same thing....a criminal confessing and then threatening to kill again.

it would be lovely to see them on trial but just the satisfaction that they''ll be gone and they''ve damaged their own putrid party almost beyond repair is enough to make each day better.

good bye ***

[tincup356]

to bagdadshere 9, I think someone dropped you on your head.....to think that Bush/Cheney are such heroes and have done no wrong,,,,,,,,you are dead wrong,,,,we can never right all the wrongs that those two men have done,,,,,,,they have committed war crimes and need to be tried for them.....As far as the bailout goes ,,,Bush/Cheney and both parties of congress need to be brought up on charges of treason.

[oscarm7]

Dear Bob Schieffer,
That interview with VP Cheney yesterday was painful to watch. You blew it. He condescended you and you cowered just like 95% of journalists did pre-Iraq war. Whatever happened to ''follow-ups'' and on your own show, no less. I''m embarrassed for you and the nation. Thank you.

[endrepubs]

LETTER
TO CHENEY/BUSH:

FROM: ANTI-WEST ISLAMIC RADICALS (aL Qaeda)

DEAR CHENEY/BUSH:

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR REMOVING SADDAAM HUSSEIN FROM POWER AND DESTROYING HIM. HE WAS OUR ONLY SERIOUS OBSTACLE TO SPREADING ANTI-WESTERN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM. NOW WITH THE PRO-WEST SADDAM HUSSEIN OUT OF THE PICTURE, WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR INFLUENCE ON OTHER MUSLIM COUNTRIES AND MAKE LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR AMERICA. YOU MANAGED TO QUICKLY DO WHAT WE COULD NOT DO IN 20 YEARS. (AND ALL THE MONEY YOU SPENT DOING IT!!!) WE REMEMBER THAT HE WAS YOUR DEAR FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS AND THAT HE FOUGHT US VERY HARD WITH YOUR AID AND SUPPORT. NOW HE IS GONE AND WE WANTED TO THANK YOU ONE LAST TIME BEFORE YOU LEFT OFFICE. WE KNOW YOUR FELLOW AMERICAN CITIZENS NOW HATE YOU WITH A PASSION, HOWEVER, WE WILL WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS.
YOUR FRIENDS,
al Qaeda

[solarrays247-2009]

Bush treated the Constitution like a football game.. ''''take the fight to them''''. Life, and death.. a football game.

Posted by william313 at 12:50 PM : Jan 05, 2009

The idiot kicked the ball out of bounds, running the wrong way!!

The fight was, and still is, Afghanistan!

Gotta go...I have a business to run.

[boatdocster]

America was never attacked after 9/11, that will be history, Iraq will be an ally in the heart of the middle east where an enemy was before, history will show that also.

Posted by notblue at 11:30 AM : Jan 05, 2009

Its funny how the GOP Neocons talk about America not being attacked after 9/11 under Shrub and Darth, and it''s simply not true.

After 9/11 Bush has spent 1 to 2 TRILLION DOLLARS on a fabricated war more "Claiming" to be the better protector, proven to be another lie. That money does not include the other 4-5 TRILLION DOLLARS of pure waste and greed. Losing pallets of money in Iraq...

Over 5000 additional brave real Americans died after 9/11 and are still dying - in countries abroad but died none the less. Those are true American hero''s and were killed. Guess those folks don''t count to Dicck Cheney!

The statement by Cheney, like everything else out of his mouth, is pure crapp.

As a President, Bush will be ranked in the bottom 3, if not dead last, now and 100 years from now.

[lochlan-2009]

Of course we have to keep Gitmo open. We have to waterboard the entire Bush Administration (especially Cheney) and all the corporate criminals he gave every last dollar and IOU to, from American tax payers. One of the biggest crime organizations is walking right out of the White House, without a single charge. "and justice for all", what a joke. This is the real America.

[nikosk11]

Sorry, I missed the interview. I switched to another channel, for I had no desire to hear excuses from a dictator. If I want to hear from an a$$hole I will f*a*r*t.

[notblue]

Now that the election is over and the left realizes his prer-election lies werre just that by STAYING THE COURSE against terrorists, it will be interesting to read the ongoing comments. America was nevwer attacked after 911, that will be history, Iraq will be an allie inthe heart of the middle east where an enemy was before, history will show that also. Despite the best efforts of left and liberal media like CBS, Iraq will be a success and the terrorists will continue ot be destroyed. What was OBama''s promise again? LOL!

[hatesthecolt]

One must wonder if the Supreme Court justices who voted to make Bush/Cheney the winners of the 2000 election ever have restless nights, contemplating whether they did the right thing for their country.....

Posted by raflin0010
Scalia and Thomas certainly are sleeping fine ... Scalia is an idealogue (anything for the cause) and Thomas is an idiot and Scalia''s lapdog.