Cheney backs end of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy but also says Obama owes apology for security cri - Polidicks

[h2]Cheney backs end of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy[/h2] [release]WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday he supports the Obama administration's decision to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military -- a move that was staunchly opposed by most top Republicans. "I think the decision that's been made with respect to allowing gays to serve openly in the military is a good one" Cheney told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." "It's the right thing to do." The policy, first enacted during the Clinton administration, was officially repealed on September 20. Over 14,000 people were kicked out of the military due to "don't ask, don't tell." The controversial repeal of the policy became a focal point of a GOP presidential debate last month when members of the audience booed a gay soldier who asked about the decision. President Barack Obama criticized the Republican presidential contenders on Saturday night for failing to rebuke the audience. "We don't believe in standing silent when that happens," Obama told attendees at the annual National Dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that promotes equality for gays and lesbians. If "you want to be commander-in-chief, you can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States even when it is not politically convenient," Obama said. Cheney responded to Obama by noting that he's "a little bit leery of the notion that somehow we ought to go hammer the Republican candidates because they didn't respond to booing in the audience." "When you're in a political campaign and debates, people boo a lot of things," Cheney told CNN. "I'm not sure that it was all focused specifically on that particular issue." After the debate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said he hadn't heard the booing when the question was asked. Santorum was being asked the question when the incident occurred.[/release][url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/02/politics/cheney-military-dadt/index.html?iref=allsearch[/url] [h2]Cheney: Obama owes apology for security criticism of Bush administration[/h2] [release]WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney praised the Obama administration Sunday for using a drone strike to kill American-born Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, but said President Barack Obama should now apologize for criticizing former President George W. Bush's actions against suspected terrorists. Al-Awlaki -- an American whose fluency in English and technology made him one of the top terrorist recruiters in the world -- was killed Friday in Yemen, according to U.S. and Yemeni government officials. The strike also killed Samir Khan, an American of Pakistani origin, and two others who were in the same vehicle as al-Awlaki, said the U.S. official, who was briefed by the CIA. Khan specialized in computer programming for al Qaeda and authored the terror network's online magazine, Inspire. "I think it was a very good strike. I think it was justified," Cheney told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." But "I'm waiting for the administration to go back and correct something they said two years ago when they criticized us for 'overreacting' to the events of 9/11." Obama "in effect said that we had walked away from (America's) ideals," Cheney argued. "I think he did tremendous damage. I think he slandered the nation and I think he owes an apology to the American people." The Obama administration has "clearly ... moved in the direction of taking robust action when they feel it is justified," Cheney said. Republican critics of the administration claim it is hypocritical for Obama to approve the killing of Americans without due process while criticizing Bush officials for signing off on the use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" such waterboarding. The use of such techniques has been banned by Obama. Former Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, told CNN that she believes many of Obama's critiques of the Bush White House -- most notably its secrecy -- are valid. "I don't think the Obama administration should be repeating" those mistakes, Harman said. "I think the debate about the legal grounds (for counterterrorism strategy) should be more in the open," she said. In particular, "we should have a legal framework around our interrogation and detention policies far more than we do now." Harman, a former top member of the House Intelligence and Homeland Security committees, also cautioned about the need for strict guidelines in the use of drone strikes, which have increased under Obama's watch. Critics of drone strikes argue that they undermine the U.S. cause by killing innocent civilians, infringing on the sovereignty of other nations, and generating sympathy for al Qaeda and other extremist organizations. "We could abuse this program," Harman said. "We've got to have a counter-narrative (to dissuade potential terrorists). We've got to live our values." Retired Gen. Michael Hayden, a former CIA director under George W. Bush, largely dismissed Harman's warning, telling CNN that critics of drone strikes "greatly exaggerate" their collateral damage. The strikes are arguably the most critical weapon in the U.S. arsenal against al Qaeda, Hayden said.[/release][url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/02/politics/cheney-obama-terror/index.html[/url]

If someone wants to go out and fight a war, risking there lifes to defend me, I don't really care what they are.

[QUOTE='[sluggo];32593412']If someone wants to go out and fight a war, risking there lifes to defend me, I don't really care what they are.[/QUOTE] Unless they're a buncha those damn commies. :america:

Bush owes every family member of every person killed in Iraq an apology for lying us into that fucking war.

[QUOTE=Medevilae;32593392]Thing is, Obama has gotten Al Qaeda Members- Bush administration tortured random Islamic extremists to no avail.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't attribute it to either Bush or Obama - it was our intelligence services that got Bin Laden. Obama just happen to be in office at the time.

[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;32597831]Bush owes every family member of every person killed in Iraq an apology for lying us into that fucking war.[/QUOTE] What did he lie about?

[QUOTE=NotoriousSpy;32598921]What did he lie about?[/QUOTE] Torture, iraqs connections to 9/11, oil, i mean, really, you're asking this question of all questions.

haha 'backs end'

[QUOTE=NotoriousSpy;32598921]What did he lie about?[/QUOTE] Weapons of mass destruction was the big lie.

Only in canada

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;32602210]Torture, iraqs connections to 9/11, oil, i mean, really, you're asking this question of all questions.[/QUOTE] I'm fairly certain that Bush explained he really did believe invading Iraq was the right thing to do, ultimately it was up to the intelligence given to him by other agencies.

[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;32605853]I'm fairly certain that Bush explained he really did believe invading Iraq was the right thing to do.[/QUOTE] Being stupid doesn't get you out of responsibility.

[QUOTE]"I think the decision that's been made with respect to allowing gays to serve openly in the military is a good one" Cheney told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." "It's the right thing to do."[/QUOTE] No, no, someone must have stuffed Cheney's body in a closet and put a robot in his place.

[QUOTE=Falchion;32606025]Being stupid doesn't get you out of responsibility.[/QUOTE] The president is only as smart and perceptive as the intel he's receiving, most of which pointed to the presence of WMDs in Iraq. The Iraq War is an excellent example of misinformation.

[QUOTE=Splarg!;32606786]No, no, someone must have stuffed Cheney's body in a closet and put a robot in his place.[/QUOTE] So they replaced a bad robot with a good robot then.

[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;32606934]The president is only as smart and perceptive as the intel he's receiving, most of which pointed to the presence of WMDs in Iraq. The Iraq War is an excellent example of misinformation.[/QUOTE] George Bush isn't the only one to blame in the whole story of course, people saying Bush had all the responsibility for what happened are morons. There is a lot of jerks and idiots involved in that whole fiasco, it's not new. [editline]3rd October 2011[/editline] But when you say "bush administration" you usually don't mean Bush himself, you mean the whole government for the 8 years he spent at the white house.

[QUOTE=RichyZ;32598079]i'm fairly sure many of our servicemen and women know what they are getting into is political toolshit but know it's good for the money.[/QUOTE] You're overestimating the mental capacity of those servicemen and women.