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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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6

Cheney Championed Interrogations Before Congress

Veep intervened when legislators got twitchy

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(Newser) – Dick Cheney personally led at least four briefings with senior House and Senate members about harsh interrogation techniques, reports the Washington Post. The former vice president's interventions took place at critical moments when Congress was threatening to investigate or even outlaw techniques, such as waterboarding, that are widely considered torture. Although Cheney was a vocal advocate for the Bush administration's policies in public, his role in defending the program to Congress was previously unknown.

CIA documents delivered to Congress last month make no mention of Cheney's role in lawmakers' briefings on so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. At one contentious 2005 meeting, Cheney and then-CIA head Porter Goss tried to persuade John McCain to withdraw a proposed anti-torture amendment. "His office was ground zero," said Sen. Lindsay Graham. "It was his office you dealt with at the end of the day."

Former Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington last month.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington last month.   (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
To the chagrin, perhaps, of Republicans looking to rebuild the tattered party, Dick Cheney has grabbed the spotlight.
To the chagrin, perhaps, of Republicans looking to rebuild the tattered party, Dick Cheney has grabbed the spotlight.   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, FILE)
Former Vice President Dick Cheney attends the Gerald R. Ford Foundation Journalism Awards luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington this week.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney attends the Gerald R. Ford Foundation Journalism Awards luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington this week.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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6 comments
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oldgoat
Jun 3, 09 4:57 AM CDT
For a man that had 5 deferments to avoid the draft because he had better things to do Cheney sure did get awful gungho when it wasn't his butt. Reply
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+12
Observer
Jun 3, 09 8:37 AM CDT
Cheney is a lying prick. He is a war criminal that needs to be tried and convicted. He is an arrogant, hypocrite that led thousands of our boys to their graves while sipping scotch at exclusive DC clubs. His lies directly led to the ruin of tens of thousands of soldiers and their families' lives and 100,000 Iraqi civilian deaths. Try him. Don't let his CIA buddies cover his ass any longer. Reply
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+10
IndependentThinker
Jun 3, 09 11:44 AM CDT
What he did was wrong and borderline criminal if not criminal. He has manipulated the American public and should face a jury of his peers (not a bunch of congressional buddies of his). He owes us that much for what he has done. Reply
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+2
ksu92
Jun 3, 09 1:29 PM CDT
Shocking. Literally. Reply
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0
Reader64481089
Jun 3, 09 7:48 PM CDT
This man (I use the word lightly) is a despicable piece of meat and a waste of space, a thug with power and should spend the rest of his miserable life being waterboarded...especially since it is "NOT TORTURE" according to him. Reply
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