'Strategic Patience' Will Neuter Al Qaeda

'Bellicose rhetoric' about war failed before, fails now: Pfeiffer

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney’s “bellicose rhetoric” and “clearly untrue” claims following the Christmas terror attempt aren't sitting well at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, and the new administration isn't shy about telling the ex-veep off. Echoing the sentiment—and the words, even—of a “senior Democrat” yesterday in Politico , Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer questions the former VP’s motives. “It is telling that Vice President Cheney and others seem to be more focused on criticizing the Administration than condemning the attackers.” More»

President is too soft on terrorism, says former VP

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney is steamed at what he perceives as President Obama’s downplaying of the Christmas air terrorism attempt. The US is “at war and when President Obama pretends we aren’t, it makes us less safe,” he tells Politico , becoming the latest Republican to take up the theme. The enemy “knows we are at war,” Cheney says. “Why doesn’t he want to admit we’re at war?” More»

Ex-VP slams Obama terror policies

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney said President Obama’s release of Bush administration torture memos was meant “essentially to appease a certain element of the Democratic Party or because of campaign commitments,” Politico reports. Speaking on Fox News, Cheney did a mocking impression of al-Qaeda’s reaction: “Gee whiz, isn't that great? Barack Obama and his administration are no longer going to ask our guys tough questions when they are captured.” More»

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney’s claim that a terrorist attack is more likely during an Obama administration “is sleazy in the extreme,” Joe Klein writes for Time. Even if you can “leave aside the fact”—which Klein cannot—“that if Dick Cheney and his alleged boss had been more vigilant” they might have avoided 9/11, the former VP has no standing to talk about terror. For one thing, an “attack is likely, eventually, no matter who is president.” More»

Washington weighs withdrawal, other options

(NEWSER) - The big question in Washington: Now that Osama bin Laden is dead, what do we do about Afghanistan? Senators John Kerry, a Democrat, and Richard Lugar, a Republican, both said yesterday that we must reassess the nearly decade-old conflict and work toward, as Kerry said, "the smallest footprint necessary." But Pentagon officials argue that rather than withdraw American troops, the US should try to make further gains and apply more pressure on the Taliban, setting the stage for what's sure to be a heated debate. More»