Obama’s Cheney Dilemma

911 happened because Bush ignored the warnings. 911 happened because Bush is inept. 911 happened because the administration was asleep at the wheel. So don't try & sell me how they "kept America safe". They did not. 911 happened and they ignored all the intelligence.
I would also like to point out that Cheney had 5 deferments but had no trouble sending other peoples' kids off to die in a war for oil. A war he has profitted handsomely from due to his deferred Halliburton stock options. He is a coward, a war profiteer, and a shining example of why those across the globe hate Americans. Both he & Bush should be tried for crimes against humanity.

Excellently-written article, discussing all the salient aspects of a complex issue. The author makes an excellent case for the incoming Administration to take note of. The bottom line, for the Commander-in-Chief is to be responsible for ensuring the safest 4-8 years possible, in spite of an increasing array of threats. I strongly agree that Cheney-Bush have created a worse image of interrogation techniques than deserved, considering the benefit they serve to national security. Cheney-Bush created an arrogant, ignorant image of the Administration, but they suceeded in keeping the country free from major attack. Obama has the opportunity to take a much more intelligent approach in all things (that would be easy, following the Bush Administration), however, he must take appropriate action to keep the country safe from major attacks.

Let's see,from 93-01,under clinton,we had Khobar Barracks bombing of Air Forse personnel in Saudi.The USS Cole bombing in Yemen,2 American embassies blown up in Africa.The first World Trade Center bombing and he used Tanks to annihilate the Branch davidians in Waco Texas.Oh,did you see Blackhawk Down"??Another Clinton success story.Had he actually done something to dissuade terrorists,011 would never have happened.

I hope we don't suffer the consequences of the new "socialistic idealism" sweeping the country. I sense we have already forgotten much of 9/11. Regardless who was on guard, 9/11 happened and we have taken measures so that the chances of it happening again have become diminished. But we Americans have short memories and eventually fall into a "laissez faire" attitude regarding the political forces inside and outside our great nation. Please.... We can never forget nor should we ever lay down our guard. Another question... "Who is John Galt?" Food for thought here... Some will know...

A very good commentary. There are some things that perhaps we the American people are better off not knowing. It is a thin line but necessary. It will be very interesting to watch the new regiem address the problems that currently exist and those that are yet to be unvailed by our enemies. Good luck to Obama and all of America.

Osama bin laden was active in terrorist attacks all throughout the Clinton years. Why didn't Clinton take care of him instead of thinking of his private parts in Monica Lewinsky's mouth?

Regarding wire-tapping, If you are not doing anything wrong, why would you be opposed to having your phone potentially tapped if it means that someone who is plotting a deadly attack is caught? Regarding, torture techniques, does anybody know whether various truth serums and disinhibiting drugs constitute torture?...maybe more research into getting the truth via medicines (without hurting the detainee) is warranted.

The first paragraph should have read:
Dick Cheney, who will step down as vice president on Jan. 20, has been widely portrayed by we big media types as a creature of the dark side, a monstrous figure who we wrongly accused of trampling on the Constitution to wage war against all foes, even if the American voters did not know about them due to National Security. We in the left-winged media made sure Barack Obama was elected partly to cleanse the temple of the Bush-Cheney and to uphold our image since our sales have dropped like a boulder falling from a mountain. The Media Messiah's campaign speeches may have been just promises, but at least he promised to reverse Cheney's efforts to enforce the Constitutional power for the White House in the war on terror.

If all of the facts were known to we, the public, we would be horrified and sickened by the assaults on this country that have been PREVENTED this this Administration. If Obama goes too far the other way, there WILL be a devastation that would make 9/11 seem like child's play. And to all of you pantywaists crying about the "poor" Gitmo detainees, I would suggest that you would have a different opinion on the matter had you been on the 110th floor of Tower 1 on 9/11...

The world is in a worse state than when George W Bush and his co-conspiritors took the presidency, more fool the American voters who only have them selves to blame for every thing they now own, thousands of US soldiers lives squandared and a global recession largely it appears of the USA's own making, one looks with some optimism that the new team being put into place will treat a more considered path and revive the USA image abroard and raise the optimism and respect of the American people to their country, out of all this is one truth the USA is no longer the powerhouse of the worlds economy or the true leader of the Democratic movement, that perception is laid to rest.

If only it were so easy. We can???t end terrorism by becoming fascists. Fascism is the worst of terrorism. We could probably set the Islamist movement back some by nuking everything between Israel and India. The only problem would be those pesky innocent people that live there. We could probably end all crime by simply listening in on everyone???s conversations all the time. But, oops, we???d loose everything that makes America great. That???s the dilemma. Not fighting terrorism, but fighting extremism without becoming extremists. We are not who we SAY we are, we are what we DO. Who are we? By the way, no one blew up any of our buildings for the eight years before 9/11 either. That doesn???t say anything about the efficacy of Bush???s policies, and it won???t say anything about Obama???s either.