Cheney Does Not Deserve Status and Attention

Perhaps many people can shrug off the repeated remarks of former Vice President Dick Cheney suggesting that President Obama's administration has made the country "less safe."

I cannot stand it. I'm disgusted by Cheney receiving sustained attention and deference as he keeps issuing warnings about how the US is more vulnerable to terrorists' attacks because the policies and practices of the Bush-Cheney administration are no longer in effect -- i.e. torture, detention and other actions. Cheney, because of HIS awful record in contributing to the world being LESS SAFE today, does not deserve this recent media attention. He is not credible on terrorism and national security.

If Cheney IS interviewed at all, he should be answering tough questions (that he's never been asked) about his role in shaping the US' failed efforts to fight terrorism and make the world more safe during his tenure. Cheney has a lot of explaining to do. He needs to be held responsible for his misconduct rather than solicited for his opinions. How and why are his views getting attention when he has - so far - evaded any truth-telling about the decision to invade Iraq, his role in the Valerie Plame affair, his administration's role in inspiring Al Qaeda to multiply and go in throngs to Iraq, and, in inflaming people across the globe to hate or mistrust the United States?

Cheney was at it again on Face the Nation, on Sunday, May 10th, spouting his views that the Obama team's repeal of Bush-Cheney anti-terrorist policies has made our country significantly less safe.

Here are several things I want to tell Dick Cheney:

1) It's time to get off the stage. Though I know you see yourself as an all-powerful, uniquely intellligent wise man who can save us all, you're no longer in power. It's time to go home and be quiet now.

2) When a new President takes office, it's not usually the best idea for the previous President or Vice President to begin repeatedly and harshly criticizing the new President constantly - particularly on the most sensitive national security matters. Historically, there is a reason why Presidents and their VPs have chosen to keep a lower profile - at least for a while. You, Mr. Cheney, not only don't "get" this, but your remarks aren't even close to being thoughtful or constructive; rather, they're blatantly political, self-serving and alarmist. They seem designed to scare Americans into thinking that without the Bush-Cheney approaches, terrorist attacks are more likely to happen. You've offered NO substantiation for these hysterical comments.
So, unless you have evidence of pending terrorist attacks to share with President Obama -- which you could always do privately, by the way -- you should "zip it."

3) You still come off as if you're oblivious to the impact of your actions. Your anti-terrorism policies and invasion of Iraq were not some video game or fantasy football league. Thousands and thousands of human beings died - and, yes, many more of them were Iraqi citizens whose lives and deaths were just as important as those of US solidiers. The Iraqis didn't ask for you to send the US military into their backyard to kill them for no reason - and doing that didn't reduce world terrorism, Mr. Cheney.

4) Please tell us the truth - as if you're under oath - about exactly how you, Bush and the neoconservatives in the White House made the decision - before and after 9/11 - to identify any countries that support terrorism in any way as the "axis of evil" - and, therefore, potential targets in new wars. Tell us how you chose Iraq as the target - the prime substitute for Osama Bin Laden. Also, tell us about the propaganda campaign during 2002 and 2003. How did you personally help craft the lies and misleading content used to "sell" the war on Iraq. How did you plan and implement the gradual substitution of Saddam Hussein's name in place of Bin Laden's?

5) How did you think you could justify your large role in enhancing the powers and capacity of the executive branch to replace the role and function of other parts of the government? What made you think you had more power, at times, than the Central Intelligence Agency?

6) You owe us the truth about your role in the Valerie Plame affair. Your man, Scooter Libby, took the rap. Were you not involved, Mr. Cheney? Many news stories and accounts suggest you were heavily involved. Your own statements suggest your knowledge. Why did you support pardoning Libby? Was it only because of your view of the legal case, or, because you and Libby were both involved?

7) Tell us exactly how you interacted with President Bush. Did he tell you what to do, or, did you, in essence, tell him what to do? Did you guide and manipulate him, or, even, push him around, on occasion?

8) Do you believe that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely?" If so, please supply us facts that convince us that you were not corrupted or influenced negatively by the power you wielded for eight years.

9) How could you repeatedly suggest Al Qaeda was tied to Saddam Hussein in any way --even long after you and Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq? Please provide facts - not rhetorical phrases - that prove any Al Qaeda link to Hussein's Iraq. (Or, admit there are none).

10) I've long thought you had a lot of gall and arrogance to say and do what you've done. Now, as I watch your behavior in the months after leaving office, I'm revising my view. I think you suffer some kind of extreme "state of denial" -- to borrow from the title of Bob Woodward's book on your Administration's handling of the Iraq war. "Denial" is too mild a term, though. It seems closer to "near-delusional" to me.

That brings me to a final suggestion for you: Instead of appearing on television talk shows, perhaps you can explore getting some therapy to help get you in touch with your feelings --- and, reality.