The Associated Press is reporting:
Some reactions to President Barack Obama's speech Thursday on detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay and national security, as well as former-Vice President Dick Cheney's response.
___
"President Obama proved again today that being honest with the American people about the threats we face, without resorting to hyperbole and fear mongering, is how responsible leaders conduct themselves in dangerous and difficult times." — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
___
"It's disappointing that the president dismissed the concerns of the American people and a strong bipartisan majority in Congress about releasing these terrorists or importing them into our local communities." — House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
___
"It's time to act on our principles and our constitutional system. Those who we believe to be guilty of heinous crimes should be tried. They should be punished severely. Our courts and our prisons are more than up to the task." — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
___
"Are we really going to insist that the jihadist with a suitcase nuke captured in Times Square be read his Miranda rights, potentially closing off the chance to garner valuable intelligence that might save hundreds or thousands of American lives? Embracing a strategy in which the criminal justice paradigm is used to fight terrorism is misguided and reckless." — Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
___
"The two speeches offered a stark and revealing contrast. The president wants to protect the country while upholding and strengthening our time-tested constitutional principles, while the former vice president offered the same misleading scare tactics and flawed approach to national security that Americans repudiated in the last election." — Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.
___
"The American people don't want to know how closing Guantanamo Bay will make us more popular, they want to know how closing Guantanamo Bay will make us safer." — Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.
___
"Tough decisions are required to undo the shortsighted, ill-conceived choices made over the last eight years. We are fortunate to now have a president that is tough enough, smart enough, and with enough foresight to fight for policies that will restore the sacred principles established in the Constitution by our founding fathers. The direction the president is advocating will make us safer and stronger as a nation." — Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va.
___
"I think in many ways he's just trying to satisfy the left. It was rhetorically effective, but not very satisfying. He never acknowledged the fact that we haven't been attacked for almost eight years." Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
___
"I am very encouraged by the president's focus on the future and his commitment to work with Congress to address complex and sometimes difficult national security issues. ... I do not believe the current system can bring terrorists to justice in a way that ensures convictions can withstand judicial scrutiny." — Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.
___
"Today President Obama said the right words about returning to the rule of law and reclaiming America's moral authority. Now he needs to ensure his actions reflect American values and the rule of law. ... Revising the military commissions is a mistake. It is a system so broken, so discredited, that it cannot be saved by any amount of administrative or legislative duct tape." — Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International.
___
"President Obama is absolutely right to emphasize that ignoring our values undermines rather than enhances America's security. But allowing detention without trial creates a dangerous loophole in our justice system that mimics the Bush administration's abusive approach to fighting terrorism." — Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
___
"We welcome President Obama's stated commitment to the Constitution, the rule of law and the unequivocal rejection of torture. But unlike the president, we believe that continuing with the failed military commissions and creating a new system of indefinite detention without charge is inconsistent with the values that he expressed so eloquently at the National Archives today." — Anthony Romero, executive director American Civil Liberties Union.
___
"I continue to be troubled that the president and certain Democratic leaders use rhetoric that creates an image of a military that was systematically torturing prisoners. These comments vastly overstate any errors committed by the U.S. military, thereby unfairly marring the integrity and reputation of the fine men and women who risk their lives for us every day." Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
___
"I share his concern that we must ensure our national security needs and our Constitutional values continue to coexist, and that the rule of law must supersede politics. ... While others may spend all their time defending the mistakes of the past, I am encouraged that our president is focused squarely on the future." — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
___
"President Obama proved again today that being honest with the American people about the threats we face, without resorting to hyperbole and fear mongering, is how responsible leaders conduct themselves in dangerous and difficult times." — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
___
"It's disappointing that the president dismissed the concerns of the American people and a strong bipartisan majority in Congress about releasing these terrorists or importing them into our local communities." — House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
___
"It's time to act on our principles and our constitutional system. Those who we believe to be guilty of heinous crimes should be tried. They should be punished severely. Our courts and our prisons are more than up to the task." — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
___
"Are we really going to insist that the jihadist with a suitcase nuke captured in Times Square be read his Miranda rights, potentially closing off the chance to garner valuable intelligence that might save hundreds or thousands of American lives? Embracing a strategy in which the criminal justice paradigm is used to fight terrorism is misguided and reckless." — Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
___
"The two speeches offered a stark and revealing contrast. The president wants to protect the country while upholding and strengthening our time-tested constitutional principles, while the former vice president offered the same misleading scare tactics and flawed approach to national security that Americans repudiated in the last election." — Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.
___
"The American people don't want to know how closing Guantanamo Bay will make us more popular, they want to know how closing Guantanamo Bay will make us safer." — Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.
___
"Tough decisions are required to undo the shortsighted, ill-conceived choices made over the last eight years. We are fortunate to now have a president that is tough enough, smart enough, and with enough foresight to fight for policies that will restore the sacred principles established in the Constitution by our founding fathers. The direction the president is advocating will make us safer and stronger as a nation." — Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va.
___
"I think in many ways he's just trying to satisfy the left. It was rhetorically effective, but not very satisfying. He never acknowledged the fact that we haven't been attacked for almost eight years." Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
___
"I am very encouraged by the president's focus on the future and his commitment to work with Congress to address complex and sometimes difficult national security issues. ... I do not believe the current system can bring terrorists to justice in a way that ensures convictions can withstand judicial scrutiny." — Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.
___
"Today President Obama said the right words about returning to the rule of law and reclaiming America's moral authority. Now he needs to ensure his actions reflect American values and the rule of law. ... Revising the military commissions is a mistake. It is a system so broken, so discredited, that it cannot be saved by any amount of administrative or legislative duct tape." — Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International.
___
"President Obama is absolutely right to emphasize that ignoring our values undermines rather than enhances America's security. But allowing detention without trial creates a dangerous loophole in our justice system that mimics the Bush administration's abusive approach to fighting terrorism." — Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
___
"We welcome President Obama's stated commitment to the Constitution, the rule of law and the unequivocal rejection of torture. But unlike the president, we believe that continuing with the failed military commissions and creating a new system of indefinite detention without charge is inconsistent with the values that he expressed so eloquently at the National Archives today." — Anthony Romero, executive director American Civil Liberties Union.
___
"I continue to be troubled that the president and certain Democratic leaders use rhetoric that creates an image of a military that was systematically torturing prisoners. These comments vastly overstate any errors committed by the U.S. military, thereby unfairly marring the integrity and reputation of the fine men and women who risk their lives for us every day." Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
___
"I share his concern that we must ensure our national security needs and our Constitutional values continue to coexist, and that the rule of law must supersede politics. ... While others may spend all their time defending the mistakes of the past, I am encouraged that our president is focused squarely on the future." — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Guardian is reporting:
'Clash of the Titans' pits Obama against Cheney on Guantánamo closure
Barack Obama collides with former vice-president as he vows to push ahead with plans to close detention centre
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Ewen MacAskill in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 May 2009 19.15 BST
Article history
Dick Cheney and Barack Obama both delivered speeches on US national security today. Barack Obama collided with former vice-president Dick Cheney today as the president vowed to push ahead with his plans to close the Guantánamo detention centre in the face of opposition from both left and right.
In what the US media billed as the "clash of the Titans", Obama's speech on Guantánamo, torture and other issues related to the Bush administration's "war on terror" was followed within minutes by one from the man who has emerged as his arch-tormentor, Cheney.
The Obama and Cheney speeches offered a glimpse of the kind of foreign policy debate that the US has seldom had since 9/11.
The former vice-president, confounding expectations that he would settle quietly into retirement in Wyoming, made an uncompromising attack on Obama for proposing to close Guantánamo, for revealing interrogation methods used by CIA agents, for labelling these methods torture and for allegedly putting US security at risk.
"The administration has found that it's easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantánamo," Cheney told the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington. ""But it's tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America's national security."
Obama faces a tricky problem in meeting the deadline he set of closing Guantánamo by the end of the year. Democrats joined by Republicans voted overwhelmingly yesterday to deny Obama the funds that would allow him to do this, saying they do not want the detainees transferred to their states.
The Senate voted by 90 to 6 against providing him with the $80m he requested until he produces a plan to deal with the 240 detainees left at Guantánamo.
Addressing the issue today, Obama, speaking at the National Archives in Washington, a location chosen for its symbolism as home of original copies of the constitution and the declaration of independence, insisted he intended to stick to his plan to transfer some of the detainees to the US mainland.
He suggested this should not be a problem as they would be placed in super-max prisons from which no-one had ever escaped.
Obama admitted that Guantánamo and the legal issues arising from the Bush administration "war on terror" were among the toughest challenges he faced. Almost every time he makes a fresh decision he comes under attack from the left or the right. He recently agreed to the release of thousands of pictures of prisoner abuse at US detention centres round the world but later backtracked. He said today that their release could have inflamed anti-American opinion.
He also reiterated he would to stick with the Bush administration's discredited system of military commissions for trying some of the Guantánamo detainees and that some detainees could be held indefinitely without trial.
Defending these decisions, Obama said he would not have started from the position he found himself in but had inherited the "legal mess" from the Bush administration.
He added: "I want to be very clear that our goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantánamo detainees - not to avoid one. In our constitutional system, prolonged detention should not be the decision of any one man."
He set out no new details of how he intended to resolve his Guantánamo dilemma. He said some will be tried in courts on the US mainland, some by military commissions, some had already been ordered to be released by the courts, some would be transferred to other countries and some will be held indefinitely. The latter could not be tried because evidence had been tainted but at the same time they were too dangerous to release, he said.
Obama's speech was watched live on television by the audience at the Cheney event. Cheney delayed his speech for 40 minutes to allow Obama to finish his.
In the US system, as opposed to the frequent clashes in the House of Commons, it is rare from political rivals to engage in a debate in such a way outside of presidential campaigns.
The Cheney speech had been in the diary before Obama's and the White House may have organised the president's for the same day in order to respond directly to the criticism.
Cheney was unapologetic about the harsh interrogation methods that he had approved, such as waterboarding. "I was, and remain, a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation programme. The interrogations were used on hardened terrorists after other efforts failed," he said. "They were legal, essential, justified, successful and the right thing to do."
He aligned himself with the Democrats, at least those in Congress who opposed transferring the detainees to the mainland.
He ridiculed the Obama administration for dropping the phrase "war on terror", saying that there were still people out there plotting to destroy US interests.
Cheney, stressing repeatedly that he and Bush had kept the US from a further attack after 9/11, appears to be setting up Obama to take the blame for another terrorist attack. Obama, near the close of his own speech, anticipated this, and acknowledged that the US still faced the threat of attack and would do so next year, five years from now and even 10 years from now.
Obama said: "I am not going to release individuals who endanger the American people. Al-Qaida terrorists and their affiliates are at war with the United States, and those that we capture - like other prisoners of war - must be prevented from attacking us again."
Barack Obama collides with former vice-president as he vows to push ahead with plans to close detention centre
Buzz up!
Digg it
Ewen MacAskill in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 May 2009 19.15 BST
Article history
Dick Cheney and Barack Obama both delivered speeches on US national security today. Barack Obama collided with former vice-president Dick Cheney today as the president vowed to push ahead with his plans to close the Guantánamo detention centre in the face of opposition from both left and right.
In what the US media billed as the "clash of the Titans", Obama's speech on Guantánamo, torture and other issues related to the Bush administration's "war on terror" was followed within minutes by one from the man who has emerged as his arch-tormentor, Cheney.
The Obama and Cheney speeches offered a glimpse of the kind of foreign policy debate that the US has seldom had since 9/11.
The former vice-president, confounding expectations that he would settle quietly into retirement in Wyoming, made an uncompromising attack on Obama for proposing to close Guantánamo, for revealing interrogation methods used by CIA agents, for labelling these methods torture and for allegedly putting US security at risk.
"The administration has found that it's easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantánamo," Cheney told the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington. ""But it's tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America's national security."
Obama faces a tricky problem in meeting the deadline he set of closing Guantánamo by the end of the year. Democrats joined by Republicans voted overwhelmingly yesterday to deny Obama the funds that would allow him to do this, saying they do not want the detainees transferred to their states.
The Senate voted by 90 to 6 against providing him with the $80m he requested until he produces a plan to deal with the 240 detainees left at Guantánamo.
Addressing the issue today, Obama, speaking at the National Archives in Washington, a location chosen for its symbolism as home of original copies of the constitution and the declaration of independence, insisted he intended to stick to his plan to transfer some of the detainees to the US mainland.
He suggested this should not be a problem as they would be placed in super-max prisons from which no-one had ever escaped.
Obama admitted that Guantánamo and the legal issues arising from the Bush administration "war on terror" were among the toughest challenges he faced. Almost every time he makes a fresh decision he comes under attack from the left or the right. He recently agreed to the release of thousands of pictures of prisoner abuse at US detention centres round the world but later backtracked. He said today that their release could have inflamed anti-American opinion.
He also reiterated he would to stick with the Bush administration's discredited system of military commissions for trying some of the Guantánamo detainees and that some detainees could be held indefinitely without trial.
Defending these decisions, Obama said he would not have started from the position he found himself in but had inherited the "legal mess" from the Bush administration.
He added: "I want to be very clear that our goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantánamo detainees - not to avoid one. In our constitutional system, prolonged detention should not be the decision of any one man."
He set out no new details of how he intended to resolve his Guantánamo dilemma. He said some will be tried in courts on the US mainland, some by military commissions, some had already been ordered to be released by the courts, some would be transferred to other countries and some will be held indefinitely. The latter could not be tried because evidence had been tainted but at the same time they were too dangerous to release, he said.
Obama's speech was watched live on television by the audience at the Cheney event. Cheney delayed his speech for 40 minutes to allow Obama to finish his.
In the US system, as opposed to the frequent clashes in the House of Commons, it is rare from political rivals to engage in a debate in such a way outside of presidential campaigns.
The Cheney speech had been in the diary before Obama's and the White House may have organised the president's for the same day in order to respond directly to the criticism.
Cheney was unapologetic about the harsh interrogation methods that he had approved, such as waterboarding. "I was, and remain, a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation programme. The interrogations were used on hardened terrorists after other efforts failed," he said. "They were legal, essential, justified, successful and the right thing to do."
He aligned himself with the Democrats, at least those in Congress who opposed transferring the detainees to the mainland.
He ridiculed the Obama administration for dropping the phrase "war on terror", saying that there were still people out there plotting to destroy US interests.
Cheney, stressing repeatedly that he and Bush had kept the US from a further attack after 9/11, appears to be setting up Obama to take the blame for another terrorist attack. Obama, near the close of his own speech, anticipated this, and acknowledged that the US still faced the threat of attack and would do so next year, five years from now and even 10 years from now.
Obama said: "I am not going to release individuals who endanger the American people. Al-Qaida terrorists and their affiliates are at war with the United States, and those that we capture - like other prisoners of war - must be prevented from attacking us again."
Los Angeles Times is reporting:
Obama and Cheney's remarks on terrorism
The president and the former vice president speak out on the Constitution, values, waterboarding and the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
2:46 PM PDT, May 21, 2009
President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney both addressed the war on terrorism in remarks delivered Thursday in Washington. Obama spoke at the National Archives, Cheney at the American Enterprise Institute. Some brief excerpts:On the Constitution
In separate speeches, Obama, Cheney spar over war on terrorism
Obama vs. Cheney on Gitmo: Who won the terror debate today?
Obama: I took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution as commander in chief, and as a citizen, I know that we must never -- ever -- turn our back on its enduring principles for expedience sake.I make this claim not simply as a matter of idealism. We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe.Cheney: Torture was never permitted. And the methods were given careful legal review before they were approved. Interrogators had authoritative guidance on the line between toughness and torture, and they knew to stay on the right side of it.
Even before the interrogation program began, and throughout its operation, it was closely reviewed to ensure that every method used was in full compliance with the Constitution, with our statutes, and treaty obligations. On numerous occasions, leading members of Congress, including the current speaker of the House, were briefed on the program and on the methods.On valuesObama: Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. And I believe that those decisions were motivated by a sincere desire to protect the American people.But I also believe that too often our government made decisions based upon fear rather than foresight, and all too often trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, we too often set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And in this season of fear, too many of us -- Democrats and Republicans; politicians, journalists and citizens -- fell silent.Cheney: For all that we've lost in this conflict, the United States has never lost its moral bearings. And when the moral reckoning turns to the men known as high-value terrorists, I can assure you they were neither innocent nor victims. As for those who asked them questions and got answers, they did the right thing, they made our country safer, and a lot of Americans are alive today because of them.On waterboardingObama: I know some have argued that brutal methods like waterboarding were necessary to keep us safe. I could not disagree more. As commander in chief, I see the intelligence, I bear responsibility for keeping this country safe, and I reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation.What's more, they undermine the rule of law. They alienate us in the world. They serve as a recruitment tool for terrorists, and increase the will of our enemies to fight us, while decreasing the will of others to work with America.Cheney: It is a fact that only detainees of the highest intelligence value were ever subjected to enhanced interrogation. You've heard endlessly about waterboarding. It happened to three terrorists. One of them was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11, who has also boasted about his beheading of Daniel Pearl.We had a lot of blind spots after the attacks on our country, things we didn't know about Al Qaeda. We didn't know about Al Qaeda's plans, but Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and a few others did know.On GuantanamoObama: So the record is clear: Rather than keep us safer, the prison at Guantanamo has weakened American national security. It is a rallying cry for our enemies. It sets back the willingness of our allies to work with us in fighting an enemy that operates in scores of countries. By any measure, the costs of keeping it open far exceed the complications involved in closing it. That is why I argued that it should be closed throughout my campaign. And that is why I ordered it closed within one year.Cheney: The administration has found that it's easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantanamo, but it's tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America's national security. . . .Keep in mind that these are hardened terrorists picked up overseas since 9/11. The ones that were considered low risk were released a long time ago. And among these, it turns out that many were treated too leniently, because they cut a straight path back to their prior line of work and have conducted murderous attacks in the Middle East. An estimated 14% of those released previously are believed to be back in the business of jihad.Sources: White House, American Enterprise Institute
Fox News reports:
Compare and Contrast: Obama and Cheney's Divergent Views on National Security
President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney each delivered major speeches on Thursday outlining America's national security challenges, each man making the case why his respective political ideologies serve best to keep the United States safe.
Fox News reports:
President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney each delivered major speeches on Thursday outlining America's national security challenges, each man making the case why his respective political ideologies serve best to keep the United States safe.
Fox News reports:
Thursday, May 21, 2009
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President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney each delivered major speeches Thursday outlining America's national security challenges, with each making the case for their respective administration's policies.
Throughout the two speeches, the only similarity between them was the subject matter.
Key among the differing arguments were the controversial issues of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison, the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, the politicization of national security and the upcoming detainee trials. Here's some of what they said:
On Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
President Obama:"I banned the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques by the United States of America. I know some have argued that brutal methods like water-boarding were necessary to keep us safe. I could not disagree more. As commander-in-chief, I see the intelligence, I bear responsibility for keeping this country safe and I reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation. What's more, they undermine the rule of law.
"They alienate us in the world. They serve as a recruitment tool for terrorists, and increase the will of our enemies to fight us, while decreasing the will of others to work with America. They risk the lives of our troops by making it less likely that others will surrender to them in battle and more likely that Americans will be mistreated if they are captured. In short, they did not advance our war and counter-terrorism efforts -- they undermined them, and that is why I ended them once and for all."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney: "I was and remain a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation program. The interrogations were used on hardened terrorists after other efforts failed. They were legal, essential, justified, successful and the right thing to do. The intelligence officers who questioned the terrorists can be proud of their work and proud of the results, because they prevented the violent death of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people."
On Prosecuting Guantanamo Detainees
President Obama:"When feasible, we will try those who have violated American criminal laws in federal courts -- courts provided for by the United States Constitution. Some have derided our federal courts as incapable of handling the trials of terrorists. They are wrong. Our courts and juries of our citizens are tough enough to convict terrorists, and the record makes that clear."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney:
"Attorney General Holder and others have admitted that the United States will be compelled to accept a number of the terrorists here, in the homeland, and it has even been suggested U.S. taxpayer dollars will be used to support them. On this one, I find myself in complete agreement with many in the president's own party. Unsure how to explain to their constituents why terrorists might soon be relocating into their states, these Democrats chose instead to strip funding for such a move out of the most recent war supplemental.
The Politicization of National Security
President Obama:"I understand that these problems arouse passions and concerns. They should. We are confronting some of the most complicated questions that a democracy can face. But I have no interest in spending our time re-litigating the policies of the last eight years. I want to solve these problems, and I want to solve them together as Americans.
"And we will be ill-served by some of the fear-mongering that emerges whenever we discuss this issue. Listening to the recent debate, I've heard words that are calculated to scare people rather than educate them; words that have more to do with politics than protecting our country."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The administration seems to pride itself on searching for some kind of middle ground in policies addressing terrorism. They may take comfort in hearing disagreement from opposite ends of the spectrum. If liberals are unhappy about some decisions, and conservatives are unhappy about other decisions, then it may seem to them that the president is on the path of sensible compromise.
"But in the fight against terrorism, there is no middle ground, and half-measures keep you half exposed. You cannot keep just some nuclear-armed terrorists out of the United States, you must keep every nuclear-armed terrorist out of the United States. Triangulation is a political strategy, not a national security strategy. When just a single clue that goes unlearned one lead that goes unpursued can bring on catastrophe -- it's no time for splitting differences. There is never a good time to compromise when the lives and safety of the American people are in the balance."
Support of U.S. Allies
President Obama:"The prison at Guantanamo has weakened American national security. It is a rallying cry for our enemies. It sets back the willingness of our allies to work with us in fighting an enemy that operates in scores of countries. By any measure, the costs of keeping it open far exceed the complications involved in closing it. ...
"I do know with certainty that we can defeat Al Qaeda. Because the terrorists can only succeed if they swell their ranks and alienate America from our allies, and they will never be able to do that if we stay true to who we are; if we forge tough and durable approaches to fighting terrorism that are anchored in our timeless ideals."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The administration has found that it's easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantanamo. But it's tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America's national security. ...
"Now the president says some of these terrorists should be brought to American soil for trial in our court system. Others, he says, will be shipped to third countries. But so far, the United States has had little luck getting other countries to take hardened terrorists."
Preserving American Values
President Obama:"We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe. Time and again, our values have been our best national security asset -- in war and peace; in times of ease and in eras of upheaval. ...
"The decisions that were made over the last eight years established an ad hoc legal approach for fighting terrorism that was neither effective nor sustainable -- a framework that failed to rely on our legal traditions and time-tested institutions; that failed to use our values as a compass. And that is why I took several steps upon taking office to better protect the American people."
Former Vice President Cheney:"It is much closer to the truth that terrorists hate this country precisely because of the values we profess and seek to live by, not by some alleged failure to do so. Nor are terrorists or those who see them as victims exactly the best judges of America's moral standards, one way or the other. Critics of our policies are given to lecturing on the theme of being consistent with American values.
"But no moral value held dear by the American people obliges public servants to sacrifice innocent lives to spare a captured terrorist from unpleasant things. And when an entire population is targeted by a terror network, nothing is more consistent with American values than to stop them."
The Release of Classified Information
President Obama:"The argument that somehow by releasing those memos, we are providing terrorists with information about how they will be interrogated is unfounded -- we will not be interrogating terrorists using that approach, because that approach is now prohibited. In short, I released these memos because there was no overriding reason to protect them. And the ensuing debate has helped the American people better understand how these interrogation methods came to be authorized and used.
Former Vice President Cheney:"Somehow, when the soul-searching was done and the veil was lifted on the policies of the Bush administration, the public was given less than half the truth. The released memos were carefully redacted to leave out references to what our government learned through the methods in question. Other memos, laying out specific terrorist plots that were averted, apparently were not even considered for release. For reasons the administration has yet to explain, they believe the public has a right to know the method of the questions, but not the content of the answers."
On Upholding the Constitution
President Obama:"I want to be very clear that our goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantanamo detainees -- not to avoid one. In our constitutional system, prolonged detention should not be the decision of any one man. If and when we determine that the United States must hold individuals to keep them from carrying out an act of war, we will do so within a system that involves judicial and congressional oversight. And so going forward, my Administration will work with Congress to develop an appropriate legal regime so that our efforts are consistent with our values and our Constitution."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The key to any strategy is accurate intelligence, and skilled professionals to get that information in time to use it. In seeking to guard this nation against the threat of catastrophic violence, our administration gave intelligence officers the tools and lawful authority they needed to gain vital information. We didn't invent that authority. It is drawn from Article Two of the Constitution. And it was given specificity by the Congress after 9/11, in a Joint Resolution authorizing 'all necessary and appropriate force' to protect the American people."
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President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney each delivered major speeches Thursday outlining America's national security challenges, with each making the case for their respective administration's policies.
Throughout the two speeches, the only similarity between them was the subject matter.
Key among the differing arguments were the controversial issues of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison, the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, the politicization of national security and the upcoming detainee trials. Here's some of what they said:
On Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
President Obama:"I banned the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques by the United States of America. I know some have argued that brutal methods like water-boarding were necessary to keep us safe. I could not disagree more. As commander-in-chief, I see the intelligence, I bear responsibility for keeping this country safe and I reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation. What's more, they undermine the rule of law.
"They alienate us in the world. They serve as a recruitment tool for terrorists, and increase the will of our enemies to fight us, while decreasing the will of others to work with America. They risk the lives of our troops by making it less likely that others will surrender to them in battle and more likely that Americans will be mistreated if they are captured. In short, they did not advance our war and counter-terrorism efforts -- they undermined them, and that is why I ended them once and for all."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney: "I was and remain a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation program. The interrogations were used on hardened terrorists after other efforts failed. They were legal, essential, justified, successful and the right thing to do. The intelligence officers who questioned the terrorists can be proud of their work and proud of the results, because they prevented the violent death of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people."
On Prosecuting Guantanamo Detainees
President Obama:"When feasible, we will try those who have violated American criminal laws in federal courts -- courts provided for by the United States Constitution. Some have derided our federal courts as incapable of handling the trials of terrorists. They are wrong. Our courts and juries of our citizens are tough enough to convict terrorists, and the record makes that clear."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney:
"Attorney General Holder and others have admitted that the United States will be compelled to accept a number of the terrorists here, in the homeland, and it has even been suggested U.S. taxpayer dollars will be used to support them. On this one, I find myself in complete agreement with many in the president's own party. Unsure how to explain to their constituents why terrorists might soon be relocating into their states, these Democrats chose instead to strip funding for such a move out of the most recent war supplemental.
The Politicization of National Security
President Obama:"I understand that these problems arouse passions and concerns. They should. We are confronting some of the most complicated questions that a democracy can face. But I have no interest in spending our time re-litigating the policies of the last eight years. I want to solve these problems, and I want to solve them together as Americans.
"And we will be ill-served by some of the fear-mongering that emerges whenever we discuss this issue. Listening to the recent debate, I've heard words that are calculated to scare people rather than educate them; words that have more to do with politics than protecting our country."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The administration seems to pride itself on searching for some kind of middle ground in policies addressing terrorism. They may take comfort in hearing disagreement from opposite ends of the spectrum. If liberals are unhappy about some decisions, and conservatives are unhappy about other decisions, then it may seem to them that the president is on the path of sensible compromise.
"But in the fight against terrorism, there is no middle ground, and half-measures keep you half exposed. You cannot keep just some nuclear-armed terrorists out of the United States, you must keep every nuclear-armed terrorist out of the United States. Triangulation is a political strategy, not a national security strategy. When just a single clue that goes unlearned one lead that goes unpursued can bring on catastrophe -- it's no time for splitting differences. There is never a good time to compromise when the lives and safety of the American people are in the balance."
Support of U.S. Allies
President Obama:"The prison at Guantanamo has weakened American national security. It is a rallying cry for our enemies. It sets back the willingness of our allies to work with us in fighting an enemy that operates in scores of countries. By any measure, the costs of keeping it open far exceed the complications involved in closing it. ...
"I do know with certainty that we can defeat Al Qaeda. Because the terrorists can only succeed if they swell their ranks and alienate America from our allies, and they will never be able to do that if we stay true to who we are; if we forge tough and durable approaches to fighting terrorism that are anchored in our timeless ideals."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The administration has found that it's easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantanamo. But it's tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America's national security. ...
"Now the president says some of these terrorists should be brought to American soil for trial in our court system. Others, he says, will be shipped to third countries. But so far, the United States has had little luck getting other countries to take hardened terrorists."
Preserving American Values
President Obama:"We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe. Time and again, our values have been our best national security asset -- in war and peace; in times of ease and in eras of upheaval. ...
"The decisions that were made over the last eight years established an ad hoc legal approach for fighting terrorism that was neither effective nor sustainable -- a framework that failed to rely on our legal traditions and time-tested institutions; that failed to use our values as a compass. And that is why I took several steps upon taking office to better protect the American people."
Former Vice President Cheney:"It is much closer to the truth that terrorists hate this country precisely because of the values we profess and seek to live by, not by some alleged failure to do so. Nor are terrorists or those who see them as victims exactly the best judges of America's moral standards, one way or the other. Critics of our policies are given to lecturing on the theme of being consistent with American values.
"But no moral value held dear by the American people obliges public servants to sacrifice innocent lives to spare a captured terrorist from unpleasant things. And when an entire population is targeted by a terror network, nothing is more consistent with American values than to stop them."
The Release of Classified Information
President Obama:"The argument that somehow by releasing those memos, we are providing terrorists with information about how they will be interrogated is unfounded -- we will not be interrogating terrorists using that approach, because that approach is now prohibited. In short, I released these memos because there was no overriding reason to protect them. And the ensuing debate has helped the American people better understand how these interrogation methods came to be authorized and used.
Former Vice President Cheney:"Somehow, when the soul-searching was done and the veil was lifted on the policies of the Bush administration, the public was given less than half the truth. The released memos were carefully redacted to leave out references to what our government learned through the methods in question. Other memos, laying out specific terrorist plots that were averted, apparently were not even considered for release. For reasons the administration has yet to explain, they believe the public has a right to know the method of the questions, but not the content of the answers."
On Upholding the Constitution
President Obama:"I want to be very clear that our goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantanamo detainees -- not to avoid one. In our constitutional system, prolonged detention should not be the decision of any one man. If and when we determine that the United States must hold individuals to keep them from carrying out an act of war, we will do so within a system that involves judicial and congressional oversight. And so going forward, my Administration will work with Congress to develop an appropriate legal regime so that our efforts are consistent with our values and our Constitution."
Former Vice President Cheney:"The key to any strategy is accurate intelligence, and skilled professionals to get that information in time to use it. In seeking to guard this nation against the threat of catastrophic violence, our administration gave intelligence officers the tools and lawful authority they needed to gain vital information. We didn't invent that authority. It is drawn from Article Two of the Constitution. And it was given specificity by the Congress after 9/11, in a Joint Resolution authorizing 'all necessary and appropriate force' to protect the American people."
