Former Vice President Dick Cheney says the Bush administration’s focus on Iraq did not lead to the disintegration of Afghanistan, in an interview with Politico Monday.
In a 90-minute interview Cheney said Obama’s “agonizing” about Afghanistan strategy “has consequences for your forces in the field.”
“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.
“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?”
On Tuesday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer took aim at Dick Cheney’s comments.
“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 told the newspaper. “I think our adversaries — especially when that’s preceded by a deep bow … — see that as a sign of weakness.”
“Frankly, they turned tail,” Hoyer responded. “I get pretty angry when I hear the vice president talk about something they didn’t finish.”
What do you think of Cheney’s comments?
Dick Cheney Slams President Obama Over Afghanistan
Right on Dick Cheney, right on!
Cheney is a mean spirited old fart and has been for a long long time. Unfortunately for the country he was the man behind the curtain when his lap dog GW was President by appointment. We are in MUCH better hands now. I don’t care what he says any mre than I care about Rush or any other conservative pinhead.
Wow! It is VERY obvious that Cheneys’ remarks are an ENOURMOUS threat to these liberal tree huggers! If you have a brainstem, you would be able to deduce that a mans’ words WITHOUT political agenda are FAARRR better than a man who is DEEPLY engaged in politics!! Last I checked, Cheney no longer HAS an agenda..doesn’t need one! To this small “p” president I say…YOU COULD AT LEAST SALUTE THE AMERICAN FLAG! If you support this presidents actions….shame on you!
Watch out! Cheney has a gun!!!
He needs to step away from the microphone and dissapear back into the deep hole he crawled out of!!!
GO AWAY,MR. DICK!!!! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU AGIAN! AND TAKE YOUR LITTLE GUN WITH YOU!!!!!
Commander and cheif? what a laugh, this guy is an embarassment to us all.They had to make the cadets clap for him at his speech last night. they all know he is a weak sister. I just hope this country can make it thru his term. He don’t have a clue what is going on.A lot of leftys are starting to see what they got for thier vote.Good chance he won’t even get thru is 1st term no chance for a second. Worse president we have ever had.
Your nickname suits you!
Maybe if Cheney and Bush had spent a little more time thinking about Iraq, they might have realized that we had no business going there in the first place.
Saddam was a mass murderer at best. Left to his own devices, he wouldve killed many more.
It’s ironic about how much Cheney NOW “cares” about Afghanistan. During the Neo-con tenure in the White House, they had the mentality of ADD retrievers. “Here we are in Afghanistan. (pant, pant). We’re going to find bin Laden and we’re going to….Look! A squirrel in Iraq. Let’s go get it!” And away they went, eventually losing all the gains that had been made there and allowing the Taliban to creep back. If a relentless pressure had been kept up, there’s a good likelihood that Al-Quaeda wouldn’t have been able to build up such a strong safe haven in Pakistan. Nor would they have been able to go to Iraq for the simple reason that Saddam Hussein would never allow another terrorist group to operate in his country since he wanted to be the biggest, baddest guy that everyone was scared of.
FYI of those Far Right nut jobs who hate anyone who isn’t a conservative Republican and have even tired to lay some of the blame of the country’s predicaments as far back as Clinton, I would remind them that when Clinton left office the U.S. had a treasury surplus. But you go on ranting and believing what you want to. Certainly don’t let any facts get in your way. After eight years of the Neo-cons , when they left the White House the surplus was gone and we were in deficit.
However, Haliburton did very well financially. For Cheney, that may even have been one of the primary goals of the war.
P.S. to mary: Cheney isn’t a good ole’ southern boy. He’s from Nebraska and Wyoming. And he never served in the military during Viet Nam. He got 5 military deferments because (to paraphrase his own words) he had more important things to do.
Amen Brother!
babal on BAB, Clinton had surplus because of a republician knuckle head,Regan sit it up with defeating the USSR. Of coarse all you lefty where aginst it.Clinton an other degrace for the american people. You dem’s can’t seem to find a guy that can be a real president. Obama doing the serge just like good ole Bush did now huh? Obama still hasnt admitted that it worked,be willing to send 30,000 more GI to do it.Obama will not do anything unless he checks to see how it works out politically, not what is best for the country. What a loser.If his brain was a big as his ears and mouth we might be able to pull it off. Give us Cheney, Palin any one but Obama biden …………..
Are you an expert in military strategy? Saddam killed off lots of his own people.Does that make him better or different then a terrorist?
hey look here and Dwight, why cant you people use your brain as much as you use your mouth ???? Marxism ???, where do you come up with this goofball crap ??? My guess would be “tokyo rush” or Beck mabey….That pretty much says it all in a nut shell. God gave you people a brain , act like you know what to do with it will ya !!!!!
cheney is correct – obama has not restructured any homeland or other usa security measures bush put in place. could it be that they work. when all is said and for all those that think bush is a buffoon wait till this term is over and see who really is the buffoon. this president is far to inexperienced to handle the world situations we are in or about to be in and his cabinet will sell us out if a heartbeat, clinton as sec. of state has already begun the process. do the background checks and see for yourself. it is in print, read it before opening your mouth about things you believe to be true, get the actual facts.
You idiots!!!!!! The man that you just put in to office is bankrupting this country. This idiotic stimulus spending is ruining us. This money is going to city and state contractors and does very little for total economy, and nothing for every day jobless people, City and state people are the only ones who benefit. We are spending millioms on this crap, that is putting us trillions of dollars in debt. Do you people know how much a trillion dollars is? How about a million? A million days ago Jesus walked the earth. And as long as you idiots get your “free” benefits from the government which it does’nt have the money for and takes it from taxes that we dont have, you are happy in your little make belive world. You people better wake up before it all comes falling down. What idiot came up with the idea of us (taxpayers) paying for health care and welfare for illegal immigrants ? do you people know your history? The Mexican, American war was fought and many Americans died because Mexico wanted to keep Mexico and did’nt anything to do with America. WELL THEY GOT THEIR WAY, now they want to come here and have us support them? And our Government wants to do it??? What can I say? the proof is in your elected officials actions.
Whenever I call someone an idiot, which is very rare, it’s because I’m ignorant. . . .
The issue with Obama is not the color of his skin, but his spiritual beliefs. He is more muslim than
Christian and that makes me wonder what his real
agenda is.
Obama’s fancy words nearly had me convinced as well but thankfully I saw through the dripping honey and did not vote for him. One thing off my conscious.
cheney should be tied to the back of a pick-up truck and dragged though the streets to the appluase of the American people. He is almost as brainless and arrogant as the his ex-boss. He too stupid to realize he had his chance and blew it big-time and nobody wants to hear from him again. Hopefully, the next time he is in the news, it will be his obituary…
Reality Check 101
1. Rescission of “Glass-Steagall” alone did not cause this recession. The combination of banking deregulation, republican congressional spending, budget-cutting and tax cuts for the rich and corporations; rising personal debt; non-rating of mortgage-backed securities; non-regulation of credit default swaps; predatory lending to mortgagees; and fraudulent & misrepresentative advice to institutional investors (pension funds, municipalities, etc.) created the current financial meltdown and recession.
2. The Bush administration turned budget surplusses into the largest national debt and budget deficit on record. They also destroyed over 7 million jobs, and job losses as a result of their “business-friendly”, anti-labor mismanagment continue.
3. The Bush administration LIED about WMD in Iraq; they knew there were no WMD because U.S. weapon inspectors – who dominated the U.N. inspection teams from 1991 to 2001, even when leadership transferred to Hans Blix – destroyed them all. Bush et. al. had the U.N. reports, which OUR inspectors wrote.
4. Neither Bush, nor Cheney, nor Rumsfeld served in the military; Bush was AWOL for most of his reserve training. Bush will go down in history as the WORST adminstration the U.S. has ever known, for economic, diplomatic, foreign and domestic policy reasons.
5. Far too many people in the U.S. swallow bullshit they don’t really understand, and spit it back out without bothering to use their eyes to read and their brains to think. Some Republican ideas have merit, but most of them are anti-middle class, and therefore destructive. Everthing that the U.S. is originates from the development and growth of our middle class, and the mindless Republican pseudo-philosophy of “less government, less taxes” is nothing more than a self-serving attempt to systematically destroy the middle class.
Cheney and the Republicans hate Obama for the same reasons they hated Bill Clinton. He comes from a poor to middle class background and he was raised by a single mother. Republicains hate poor people. They think if your poor its your own fault and your just lazy.
Wow!……I am getting out of here. When the US has been in Afganistan for 7-10 years I’ll be back with interest to read the posts, that’s if the world doesn’t end in 2012 (LOL). See Ya.
What a gaffe by both of the two largest political parties in the US – a total disregard for experience and a race to the White House through a minority candidate, neither of which was qualified for the job. A boost in morale for the American people, a shot in the gut for the American eminence. Hopefully we’ll have the insight to bring ourselves out of this in 2012….
To Patriot, Obama is not at all doing what Bush did. You can holler Surge all you want ….what Obama is doing is cleaning up the mess Bush left or couldnt finish, Bush never had to deal with someone leaving him a mess…the ecomomy, 2 wars, worst standing in the world ive ever seen….Biggest deficit of all time …..Hell when Bush took office there was a balanced budget and a surplus which disappeard in the 1st 6 months in office with his tax rebate for the rich…But hey, we got $500
Obama is a dope!! He doesn’t have a clue! I’m sure glad I didn’t vote for him. We’re getting just exactly what I expecteD!
I find it very interesting to note that Cheney critizes Obama for taking too long to come to a decision about what to do next to end this war. Had Bush, Cheney, et. al. taken more time to think matters through before they started this war, we probably would be in the position that we’re in. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Liberal or Conservative, the facts speak for themselves. I think Cheney should take a page out of Bush’s notebook…Sit down, shut up and pray he’s not indicted before he dies.
Why are we discussing Dick Cheney comments. He is irrelevant now and needs to retire.
President Obama is notorious about wavering on important issues. The necessary war(Afghanistan) Obama talked about last year is now the irrelevant war this year. The stimulus was going to take us out of the recession, now he talks about a double-dip recession. His big spending,big government, and high tax policies are going to sink us.I would take Cheney
over Obama any day.
who cares about that country anyway. they should just get the hell out and let them live like cavemen if they want to.
Mike,
Despite what your personal feels are about the president, it you and people like you that voted twice for the last administration. Remember, the current administration is trying to clean up the mess that the Bush/Cheney administration created. Once again, despite what your personal feelings may be, the facts speak for themselves. This country was in pretty good shape before Bush/Cheney took over. In eight years, Bush/Cheney managed to ruin this contry for both the middle class and all but the riches of rich. Beleive me Mike an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure. Take it from me…I really am a doctor!
TELL IT LIKE IT IS FRANK,
You extreme right wing people amaze me. Under the Bush and Cheney administration, America hit the “skids”, this country was almost toast! That’s undeniable and you all have the nerve to trash Obama. Hell, Obama is the ONLY reason we’re not in soup lines!It’s not his spending, nor his politics…fess up.. it’s his skin color, be real about it! Many of you uptight, right wing, closet racist, closet sexist, are just in awe that a Black man is the Commander-In-Chief of the U.S. and Dick Cheney is was one of em! Sorry, it’s a new day.
All you Obama lovers, the war was started by 911 terrorists, not President Bush, take the blinders off please.
Patriot – You are too stupid to konw that the Bush Doctrine refers to preemtive attacks on other countries for things they might do in the future, surging isn’t a Bush Doctrine, it is a policy. You are a flippin’ idiot.
For a man that spent 8 yrs in office it seems to me he had plenty of time to do the things he thinks should be done in Afganistan……8 years !!!! What did he do ????? now he got plenty to say about what someone else should do …..Its the kinda logic that the teabaggers live on and that is exactly why your party is on the outside looking in….Ya told the country at election time its our way or the highway…Well the country told your party to enjoy the ride and you people have been crying like little spoiled brats ever sinse cause you aint gettin your way !!! There is a GOD !!!!!!
TS~~~~ The afgan war started with 911 fool, the war in Iraq got nothing to do with 911….sounds like you still listening to CHeney and Bush…Bet you believe in the WMD claim too dont ya idiot !!!! Or mabey the mission accomplished claim too….Some fricken accomplishment !!!!
anthony, are you trying to say there were no terrorrists in Iraq, it’s one and the same in that whole region, know it all. Maybe if Sadam had slayed your family you would have a different point of view. What’s with the idiot comments? You out of high school yet?
joe,
You are the biggest bone head, did ur parents teach u respect for women. I bet u do not have one. Secondly the last time checked clinton is not on halliurton payroll, u need to get a dictionary and define what special interest means. Financial idiots like u make the economy suffer. And let me give u a little leadership lesson fool. WHEN THE TEAM FALLS THE LEADER MUST ANSWER TO THE FAILURE BECAUSE A TRUE LEADER WILL NOT ENTERTAIN PPL WHO WILL BRING HIM/HER DOWN AROUND THEM IDIOT.
sherry,
True, Obama is a great speaker with excellent command of his words, unlike the ‘bush’ before him, that had no words at all!!!
Perhaps if you listen and actually ‘comprehend’ what he is telling this country you will understand that he is trying to turn around the mess that bush and dick cheney left for him to ‘clean up’.
It won’t happen in a short time, as it was 8 years of stupidity that had embroiled this mess for Obama to try to fix. A short time.
We will see, in the next 4 years, what the outcome will be. In the meantime, stop giving the Al Quida reasons to take down our country as you, and the Obama-haters, stop supporting America and our democratically elected president!!!
DICK CHANEY IS A DICKHEAD NO WONDER IS PARENTS NAMED HIM DICK
Adiguzel Shakir Assad — this name says it all!!
J devine,
Comments like yours are a perfect example of how republicans use race and religion to discredit any reasonnable argument that does not favor thier stance.
you DISGUST ME!!!!!!!!!!
Cheney, pu-lease just go away. You and your neo-con cronies spent 8 years trashing this country and turning dysfunctional states into hotbeds of terrorism. Now you have the unmitigated gall to trash talk Obama who has twice the intelligence you have and….and on top of that, trying to fix you mess.
To JOE, if your really a market analyst(looks like you spelled anal cyst)like you say ….along with your beliefs that explains what happened to the market !!!!
to TS, no i dont believe Iraq had terrorist before the war started …the terrorist came to fight the USA there after we ivaded cause they damn sure didnt have that mess before we got there. …..YOu say i would feel different if Sadamm had killed my family…..YOur right , i would feel just like i do now knowing CHeney and Bush got 2 of my relatives killed for their ill gotten war !!!! Tell your story to all the american families who lost loved ones to the Iraq war…..mabey your sad ass would wise up and sing a tune worth listening too.
anthony…Maybe you’ll understand why we do this when Iran sends a nuke up your ass because your president doesn’t like conflicts!
Anthony,
So you disagree with additional 30,000 guys to be send to afgan?
Dick well, is a dick. He has the room to criticize the mess he and george left Obama is too insane to comprehend? At least Obama to our knowelege does not own stock in oiul and or haliburton like the conflict of interest dick and george had. Obama is trying to get out but in an organized way.
I feel safer with George W Bush & Dick Cheney watching over us than with the current occupants of the White House. Dick Cheney is correct to call out Obama.
How come there was never outrage when Al Gore spoke out against Bush? I’m sick of Obama blaming Bush for everything. It’s time to either act like a president or resign. He has no respect for the office of POTUS.
well said, Carol! This is more of the sickening “Chicago Style” politics that Obama employs. He knows that people generally pay more attention to words and not actions – that’s why he says one thing and does another. There IS hope however! His approval is down below 50% after only 10 months, and headed much lower. The populace has awakened! And that’s why they continue to blame the previous administration – to try to deflect scrutiny and the fact they have no answers themselves. “Four or less – and OUT”
TO CAROL AND HARRY
You 2 are a few of the dumbest to be on this forum. The mess was created in 8yrs, do u expecet it to be cleaned up 10mths.Also Harry shd know that if Obama fails America fails and u fail too fool.
To Carol,
You know y dumb Bush did not blame anyone, because he took office with a surplus. We are blaming him b’cos he fucked up.He must happy i started his name with a capital letter fool.
TS, are you berating anthony for implying there were no terrorists in Iraq before we invaded? Well, I don’t just imply. I firmly believe that. Anyone with an IQ in the 3-digits would realize that Hussein would never allow terrorists to act freely in his country. There is no way that he would allow a group to carry out acts of terror unless those acts were done by his own Republican Guard. He gassed the Kurds for just making some protests. He would never permit there to be a rival for generating fear.
The terrorists came into Iraq after the invasion because Rumsfield and Cheney (who never actually had to risk their own lives in the military, although Rumsfield did serve during peacetime) were trying out their own theory of war: Start with a lean, mean fighting machine. Have fewer boots on the ground than an invasion would normally call for; hit them hard and fast and then ride down Main Street of Baghdad while people cheered and threw flowers like it was Paris at the end of WWII. These men, who’d never been in a battle, fraked it up for those boots on the ground by not sending in enough of them to secure the infrastructure or the Guard’s stockpiles of regular weapons, which were promptly looted. You still believe in WMDs? If so, I’ve got this nifty little bridge to sell you because if you’re still buying into the WMD spiel, you’ll buy anything.
RIGHT ON POINT BAB.VERY SMART PERSON
I’m curious as to how the non Obama supporters are conceptualizing the last 1-2 years of the Bush administration (or 8 years) decisions with how the current Obama administration is seriously trying to rectify or stablize. For example, do you think the financial policies could have been avoided?? What about the current war(s), do you believe the Bush administration was strategic and effective–and please, no whinning or “attack on liberals” just present the facts that justify actions… if you will
You leftys have the IQ of a worm.BAB you and Anthony
are the leaders of them. Yes Sadam was just a miss understood person,get real,Bush got him be fore he got you. Your God (obama) vote for us to go to war,i guess you forgot huh? When are you guys going to forget about Bush and take credit for largest defict spending of all time.Obama is a muslim radical in sheeps clothing.This man doesnt deserve to wash bush or chaneys feet.He’s a thief just like the rest of the Dem.Look at all the money he has, where did it come from???? senators dont make that much do they,you do the math,God Bless America not God damn America……………..sick of liberals
Good job Dick Cheney. Your head is still in the game.