Yesterday’s post dealt with the issue of arrogance, and the difference between religious faith—which requires a certain suspension of doubt–and the sort of unquestioning certainty that leads to all manner of horrific acts in the name of religion.
Which leads us to a consideration of Dick Cheney.
Not that Cheney’s views appear to be founded in religion; from all appearances, the only person he worships–or respects– is the man he sees in the mirror (and I rather suspect that the man in that mirror is not the one most of us see).
Ever since the Senate released its report on torture, Cheney has been everywhere, defending the indefensible. It’s important to note that, while he has characterized the report as “crap,” he has not suggested that its descriptions of “enhanced interrogation” are inaccurate. He has not denied that 26 innocent people were falsely arrested. He has not denied that one of those innocent people died.
Instead, Cheney defends it all. He has expressed absolutely no remorse for any of it–not even the death of the innocent man. He insists he would “do it again.” Against the evidence of experienced interrogators, he insists that the tactics worked. Against the testimony of men who were themselves tortured, this man who never wore his country’s uniform insists he knows best how to conduct warfare. Against the consensus of the world community, he justifies the use of tactics America has historically condemned.
Because he’s right, and the rest of the world is wrong.
Cheney is a stark reminder of what evil really is–not a Satanic figure intentionally setting out to do harm, but power allied with un-self-aware moral arrogance.
Cheney’s responses – and they are mounting – to the released CIA report on torture should have been expected because the use of torture can be laid at his feet. Remember he shot a friend in the face on a beer drinking hunting trip and did nothing to assist him or call for help; he assumed the landowner would handle the problem. He also approved the “outing” of CIA agent Valerie Plame; endangering her life and the lives of her entire family. Her husband was one of the investigators Bush and Cheney sent into Iraq to find those pesky, non-existant nuclear devices which existed only in the imaginations of those two. Bush later admitted to receiving the report that there was NO evidence of nuclear devices in Iraq but he chose to ignore it.
Cheney’s war mongering, money hungry personal issues, coupled with Bush’s weakness and being easily led, brought about the war in Iraq – which rages on – and the torture situations. I believe the release of the CIA report and their findings has done and will do less damage to this country than continuing the coverup and lies that have surrounded this issue. It will do less damage to American’s trust in transparencey in this country and our negotiations with foreign countries once the anger dies down. Was Cheney’s heart transplant a hoax? I do not believe this man, CEO of Haliburton when they poured the faulty concrete foundations of the Gulf offshore oil rigs, has a heart.
Does anyone really care what Cheney thinks? He’s just another conservative attack dog.
Bush Cheney et all should all be in prison and we Americans are at risk because of their behavior and policies.
daleb; the die-hard GOP 1% follows his every word, he is one of their primary sources for profit. To the staunch Republicans, who are unaware of his sources of wealth or the reasoning behind his continuing support for torture, he is their Guru and they follow him into battle like sheep following the Judas goat to slaughter – the slaughter of others and the increase of his source of wealth. But; thanks to the 1st Amendment there is no legal way to silence this war mongering, evil man who remains a danger to all of us because of his followers.
I’m glad that there are others who see Cheney as the cowardly s.o.b. that he really is.
And I’m juat practicing my free speech rights.
Cheney is what he is because he is a bully. And like all bullies he is inwardly a coward. Such people must be faced with the evil they deny: No one has dared him to undergo the treatment he so defends. Seals and SF personnel must undergo slight torture as part of their training. So what is the danger in asking Dick to try some of the stuff he defends. Why not? Because bullies shout down their opponents and reframe the argument to their own advantage. No one dare say , You advocate a policy in which you were too cowardly to participate, but it’s not too late, Dick. We have a spy program in Fiji and after a short session, you’ll be ready to go by Friday. This country’s been darn good to you so how ’bout it? Want to sign up.” Watch him back peddle then. Just like he did when he was called.
Former Governor Ventura challenged him to such treatment saying that in ten minutes he would have him confessing to stealing the last supper! But Jesse would have to do that. All he would have to do is look the coward in the eye. Cheney would fold like a wet noodle and cry like a baby. Could Hitler face any of the devastation he had wrought?
Let’s not forget the ‘Patriot Act’ that legitimized government intrusion into personal privacy based on the same kind of fear that apparently also justified the state sponsored barbarism that the torture of people in US custody was.
You know, The “Tower of London” has a few rather
nasty devices and I’m sure anybody on the receiving
end would, as it was so elegantly stated above …
“Confess to stealing the Last Supper” (this highly amused me)
People like Cheney, will end up being a prisoner in
their own nation. As travel aboard will be out of the
question, if the I.C.C. are not looking for him, somebody
else will be.
Cheney was perfect for his position of heartless, steely-eyed assassin. A suitable match for the village idiot.
I suspect Torture has been committed by the USA prior to GWB, Cheney and the Neo-Con Gang, by the USA. The difference is Cheney and his gang not only sanctioned the Torture they have no second thoughts about it being wrong.
Giving Cheney an out let via the Mega-Media is fine with me – Free Speech and all. The way our Mega-Media treats him kid gloves is another. The Mega- Media seems to try to justify in a back hand way the Torture – We have to consider the times, 9-11 and yada, yada, etc. The true test is when adversity strikes do you stay true to to the light or turn to dark side. Cheney is a complete disgrace. GWB, Cheney and their Neo-Cons drove us off a cliff in Iraq when they started a war there. Probably a million casualties when you consider, the dead, wounded, missing and refugees of GWB’s , Cheney and the Neo-Cons War in Iraq.
Betty; Cheney is not “heartless”; remember he bought a heart not long ago. I am so sick of seeing his ugly, fat, healthy, sneering face on Facebook that I am filling with hatred because he could buy a body part while my only daughter sat on the waiting list for a liver that was never found. I keep popping on line today, Facebook and E-mails are my only form of communication due to my deafness, so I keep checking for messages and trying to keep hope alive as I wait for my beautiful daughter to die. We don’t expect her to be with us for Christmas; in my daughter-in-law Anne’s words minutes ago, “if she is still here tomorrow, I will pick you up at 11:00 to visit.” And Cheney, who has no regard for human life other than his own, flourishes with someone else’s heart keeping his mouth running as he spouts support for torture and killing humans he considers worthless. He included American lives in those he held and holds no value for. My oldest son died of cancer a little over 3 years ago; my second oldest son died of cancer 16 months later and now I wait for my daughter’s death. They were all loving people, caring for others and helping whenever and however they could, even strangers. Who has Cheney helped other than himself and helping Bush into another war this country should not have been in. I won’t apologize for my bitterness; I need it right now to distract me from grief.
i wouldn’t be surprised if W won’t be completely surprised by what history writes of his administration.
A normal man would feel massive remorse for the trajectory of the country with Cheney/Bush at the helm. Cheney as the prototypical megalomaniac will excuse it all.
Just how did this guy make it to two terms as V.P? I don’t think someone has to be Sigmund Freud to see, in about five seconds, that this is someone who would throw his grandmother under a bus for a better opportunity, and that he is not to be trusted to even consider the common good. Where were all of those people, throughout the years, who didn’t have the low level of perspecuity needed to determine that this is one bad actor? He even snarls as he speaks! So much for the idea that “The voice of the people is the voice of God”.
JoAnn, I am truly sorry for your losses. While Dick Cheney did not cause the losses you’ve experienced, it is obvious how unfair life can be sometimes. He came out seemingly on top, but it is not over for him. I would like to think there is a special ring in Dante’s inferno reserved for Cheney and others of his ilk. I am sure that we here on this blog hope for the best for your daughter.
Right on!
Cheney is without doubt one of the most malignant politicians ever to ” serve” the people of this country. Why is he still given an audience by anyone, even the right wing?