Former Vice President Dick Cheney on "Meet the Press" on December 14, 2014
As expected, the "long knives" are out criticizing the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's torture of suspects between 2002 and 2008.
The Sunday talk shows were littered with guests critical of the report and these apologists were prominent defending the agency and its "enhanced interrogation"-torture-program.
It was quite the lineup with the likes of former CIA Director Michael Hayden on ABC's "This Week", Sens. Angus King I. ME, John McCain R.-AR., Saxby Chambliss R. GA. And Rep. Mike Rogers R. Mich. were on CBS's "Face the Nation", former CIA operations officer Jose Rodriguez who ran the interrogations program was on "Fox News Sunday" while former VP Dick Cheney was on NBC's "Meet the Press".
But it was the latter; Cheney's interview with Chuck Todd that had to be numero uno on this infamous "hit" parade of torture apologists-if you haven't already check out a replay of Sunday's "Meet the Press".
There he was, the "torturer in chief" him self defending and deflecting anything Todd threw at him. Here's a short synopsis; the "enhanced interrogation techniques program was "approved" by the Justice Department-so therefore it was all legal; that waterboarding is not torture; "rectal hydration" was done for "medical reasons" but also wasn't "part of" the interrogation program; he was "not concerned" about the many who underwent the interrogation program techniques were later found innocent, the "program worked" and "I'd do it again in a minute".
It was a perfect display of someone with absolute ideological belief where nothing critical of that belief could penetrate that certainty. There was no regret, no remorse and a complete lack of empathy-check out the definition of psychopath.
Cheney long ago perfected the official Washington "art form" of dissembling and obfuscation with Sunday's "performance" i.e. it's not torture; its defense of the country; after all they're terrorists, they killed 3000 Americans on 9/11; comparing the torture the Japanese committed during W.W.II has no relevance with the interrogation program we used. So in essence for Cheney it becomes, "I said it was so, there is no doubt; let's move on"
It was obvious he relished the moment to again be in the spotlight.
Never forget, Cheney as VP "played" former "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert like a drum saying to his host in 2002 the New York Times reported Saddam Hussein had WMD; a "report" Cheney himself had supplied to the Times but was a complete fabrication.
Of course Russert had no idea he was being "played" by Cheney who wanted to bolster his case demonizing Saddam. It was a perfect example of official Washington using the MSM to advance its nefarious ways, propagandize the people so they'd back the actions of the government.
As to those of us who condemn the torture tactics we're berated as bleeding hearts that these techniques are justified to keeping Americans safe.
That's nonsense of course; America's torturing of suspects has made us less safe. It also reveals the double standard of us moralizing to the world about human rights violations while committing these heinous crimes. It just drips with hypocrisy.
Dave Lindorff, as seen on these pages recently, listed 11 reasons why he was "ashamed" to be an American. I agree with his analysis, but it more saddens me.
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