Cheney Almost Wants Attack on US Soil: CIA Head

Says fighting extremists 'a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business'

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney thinks there’s a “high probability” terrorists will attack the US with a biological or nuclear weapon, and that Barack Obama’s policies will likely only increase those odds. Fighting terrorism is “a tough mean, dirty, nasty business,” the former vice president told Politico. “These are evil people. And we’re not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek.” More»

Eric Holder carves a new, powerful role as attorney general

(NEWSER) - The appointment of a federal prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogations exposed a long-running turf war between the intelligence agency and the Department of Justice—and demonstrated the substantial clout of AG Eric Holder, who prevailed in almost every dispute with CIA Director Leon Panetta. The New York Times and Washington Post both chart the push-pull leading up to this week's announcement, which began when Justice released largely unredacted memos authorizing waterboarding and other forms of torture. More»

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney lambasted Barack Obama today for his decision to name a special prosecutor to look into Bush-era terror interrogations. The move raises “doubts about this administration’s ability to be responsible for our nation’s security,” he said in a statement. “The people involved deserve our gratitude. They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions.” More»

(NEWSER) - The CIA program kept secret from lawmakers and canceled by Leon Panetta last month sought to establish paramilitary units to take out al-Qaeda leaders, former intelligence officials tell the Los Angeles Times. The officials say that while the program was never made operational, CIA chiefs continued to work on plans for it as recently as a year ago. More»

(NEWSER) - As the CIA scrambled to do damage control today in the wake of director Leon Panetta's New Yorker interview, Dick Cheney fired back. The former VP's office released a statement that reads in full: "I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted. The important thing is whether the Obama administration will continue the policies that have kept us safe for the past eight years." More»