Cheney: CIA Abuse Probe a Political Act

Says Justice Dept's Effort to Investigate Torture of Detainees 'Offends the Hell Out of Me'

(CBS/AP)  Former Vice President Dick Cheney says politics are driving the Justice Department's decision to investigate whether CIA interrogators abused terror suspects detained after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"It's clearly a political move," Cheney said in an interview aired Sunday. "I mean, there's no other rationale for why they're doing this."

He added: "I just think it's an outrageous political act that will do great damage, long term, to our capacity to be able to have people take on difficult jobs, make difficult decisions, without having to worry about what the next administration is going to say."

At issue is Attorney General Eric Holder's decision last week to look into abuse allegations after the release of an internal CIA inspector general's report. President Barack Obama has said interrogators would not face charges if they followed legal guidelines.

However, the report concluded that some CIA interrogators went beyond Bush administration guidelines that gave them wide latitude to use severe tactics against detainees such as waterboarding, a simulated drowning technique that critics call torture. Three high-level suspects underwent waterboarding scores of times.

The former vice president was interviewed this week at his Wyoming home by Chris Wallace and broadcast this morning on "Fox News Sunday."

Cheney called the techniques "good policy," saying he was comfortable in cases where interrogators went beyond what they were specifically authorized to do. The CIA report found they included cases of interrogators threatening a detainee with a handgun and an electric drill.

He noted that the Justice Department, during the Bush administration, approved the harsh tactics in legal memos to the White House, and said those techniques were "directly responsible" for the fact that there were no further mass casualty attacks against the United States.
"I guess the other thing that offends the hell out of me, frankly, Chris, is we had a track record now of eight years of defending the nation against any further mass casualty attacks from al Qaeda," Cheney said. "The approach of the Obama administration should be to come to those people who were involved in that policy and say, 'how did you do it? What were the keys to keeping this country safe over that period of time?' Instead, they're out there now threatening to disbar the lawyers who gave us the legal opinions, threatening contrary to what the president originally said.

"I just think it's an outrageous precedent to set, to have this kind of, I think, intensely partisan, politicized look back at the prior administration."

Cheney was striking out at a Justice Department that has reeled from accusations of bending to White House politics for years, most recently under the Bush administration.

He said he has serious doubts about President Obama's policies - especially whether the new Democratic administration understands the threat to Americans.

"I was not a fan of his when he got elected, and my views have not changed any," Cheney said of President Obama.

[hamiltoningrate]

We used "enhanced" techniques to break the back of the KKK .

Just see Mississippi Burning.

Was that wrong too ?

[mgreggsmith]

Why in the name of God does CBS give Dick Cheney a platform? This man is a draft dodger. He allowed us to be attacked in 9/11. When we went after the terrorists after 9/11 he pulled our troops back and attacked Iraq, a miserable country that had done us no harm. He caused the death of over 4000 U.S. service people, and ten times that many injured - for nothing!

Now we are back to Afghanistan, where we are losing because of Cheney's "pro-Halibuton" policies in Iraq. (Steal the oil!)

Dick Cheney is a Gestapo-type nut case who is trying to divert energy from his criminal, anti-Constitution activities. Cheney should be arrested and tried for treason for the damage he has done for the U.S.

CBS: Please stop promoting Dick Cheney!!!

[mgreggsmith]

Why in the name of God does CBS give Dick Cheney a platform? This man is a draft dodger. He allowed us to be attacked in 9/11. When we went after the terrorist after 9/11 he pulled our troops back and attacked Iraq, a miserable country that had done us no harm. He caused the death of over 4000 U.S. service people and ten times that many injured - for nothing!

Now we are back to Afghanistan, where we are losing because of Cheney's "pro-Halibuton" policies.

Dick Cheney is a Gestapo-type nut case who is trying to divert focus away from his criminal, anti-Constitution activities. Cheney should be arrested and tried for treason for the damage he has done for the U.S.

Stop promoting Dick Cheney!!!

[ianlou]

Dik Cheney's current rants on Sunday morning TV is just further evidence of his unwillingness to accept that:
1. His party is no longer in power (Cheney bought into that "We will be in power forever" line from the GOP after Dubya got reelected)
2. He has no bully pulpit powers anymore.
3. His dirty little secrets are being investigated.

[OregonJames]

Cheney fears the truth will be told and that he will be seen as the war criminal he is. I believe it would be a great honor to slip the noose around Cheney's neck for his role in torture and war crimes. He should face the same fate as Saddam.

[riddelup]

Is it a slow news day or an old news day?

[Benton09]

the_majesty and One_American are Republican hacks. Get used to it.

[pjk12354]

I praise the Lord every day that people like Bush & Cheney are no longer in power.............

[chonder2]

What EXACTLY is Cheney afraid of? Get the documentary "The Dark Side" by Frontline, you can view it on the Frontline website too!In person statements by officers from CIA,NSA,DIA and others.

[Hosheen]

Oh yes, this is a "political" investigation! The torture never took place? It wasn't illegal? Buush/Cheney didn't authorize it?

Which of those isn't true? How about furnishing some proof? No? That's because the apologists for Cheney are also either liars, blind to reality, or just plain stupid beyond human belief.

[Hosheen]

I'm sure it does offend him. Especially considering that he is one of the people most likely to be investigated and sent to prison. I just hope that it's soon and his cell mate is large, angry, and gay.

[taxchurches]

Could Cheney's comments be any more self-serving, and those who support him any more ignorant and naive? Uhhh, no.

Why doesn't he just say, "Hey, we are criminals, ok, but we're out of office now, so you shouldn't be able to touch us. Nyah-nyah!"

As for Cheney being "offended," I say a) too bad, and b)bullsh@t. In order to be offended you have sensibilities, and this scum has long since proven he has none.

Dear Mr. Cheney: die.

[AK-47_Justice]

Does anyone honestly care what shotgun cheney 'thinks' or does any longer?

Actually, I'm tired of paying for his secret service security, and think that PNAC neoCON needs to either pay for his own blackwater security or move closer to his offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands that halli-cheney-burton hid from the IRS.

[lucasnico]

If there's anyone who knows about outrageous political acts that will do great damange, long term....it's Dick Cheney.

[tincup356]

Cheney is wrong ,,,the political move was committing the torture, and lying about it, it and the secret prisons. Cheney and Bush should face war crime charges, Both parties of congress should face charges of TREASON, stemming from the conspiracy they are involved in with corporate America AKA "The LOBBY ROBBERY", "TARP", and "stimulus packages". Our government has run amok, if we do not stop them they will destroy the middle class.

[searingtruth]

"Evil does not exist.

Except within humanity."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[daisyjingles]

What Cheney fails to understand to this day that is that we would be less hated in the world had our government been honest and treated others as we would hope our soldiers are treated.

Cheney appears very nervous that he has not yet escaped prosecution. There are some countries that he cannot travel to because he would be detained as a war criminal.

[Sharkdog2000]

He's so convinced of his righteousness, there's no telling what crazy train he'll jump on next. There's no arguing with someone that out of touch with reality. Go away, Dick!!!

[searingtruth]

"Justice is simple. Beware of those who declare it is not."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave

[srp55]

the_majesty...Your part of the lies and problem

[srp55]

I support Obama 100%

[the_majesty]

SRP55 ... Your part of the 32% ...