An important debate has been taking place in our nation's capital over the past couple of days pitting old against new and vision verses ideology. In two very distinct and different speeches President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney had a de facto debate over so-called enhanced interrogation techniques of terror suspects being held at the prison constructed for them at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Obama's speech on this national security issue was timely, direct and smart.
Obama scolded and lectured in his explanation of where we are as a country in terms of being, "less than eight years removed from the deadliest attack on American soil in our history. [And] we know that al Qaeda is actively planning to attack us again. We know that this threat will be with us for a long time, and we must use all elements of our power to defeat [them]."
Our Strength Lies in Our Most Fundamental Values
President Obama went on to highlight several initiatives that he said were taken in keeping with the continuous goal of keeping America safe, these included:
- Taking the fight to extremists who attacked us [America] on 9/11.
- Investing in 21st century military and intelligence capabilities
- Working towards denying the world's deadliest weapons to the world's most dangerous people
- Securing all loose nuclear materials
- Better protecting our [U.S.] borders
- Increasing preparedness for any future attack or natural disaster
- Building partnerships around the world to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda
- Renewed American diplomacy, increasing our ability to lead the world
But perhaps even more importantly he drew on the power and majesty of America's founding documents, that were present in the very hall in which he was speaking, as he said, "The documents that we hold in this very hall--the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights--these are not simply words written into aging parchment. They are the foundation of liberty and justice in this country, and a light that shines for all who seek freedom, fairness, equality, and dignity around the world.
Pointing to Mistakes Made by the Bush Administration and Others
President Obama pointed to several mistakes made by the Bush administration's in its fight against terrorism after September 11th 2001, as he mentioned the following, "Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. I believe that many of these decisions were motivated by a sincere desire to protect the American people," Obama said.
In echoing some speeches he made during his run for the presidency, Obama continued, "But I also believe that all too often our government made decisions based on fear rather than foresight; that all too often our government trimmed the facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, too often we set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And during this season of fear, too many of us--Democrats and Republicans, politicians, journalists, and citizens--fell silent."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney Voices Some Concerns
On the same day, former Vice President Richard (Dick) Cheney spoke at the American Institute to address critical issues of national security and topics related to President Obama's speech concerning the blueprint for keeping America safe in the future. In beginning of his remarks the former Vice President stated, "Right now there is considerable debate in this city about the measures our administration took to defend the American people. Today I want to set forth the strategic thinking behind our policies. I do so as one who was there every day of the Bush administration who supported the policies when they were made, and without hesitation would do so again in the same circumstances."
Cheney went on to say, "When President Obama makes wise decisions, as I believe he has done in some respects on Afghanistan, and in reversing his plan to release incendiary photos, he deserves our support. And when he faults or mischaracterizes the national security decisions we made in the Bush years, he deserves an answer. The point is not to look backward...Our administration always faced its share of criticism, and from some quarters it was always intense. That was especially so in the later years of our term, when the dangers were as serious as ever, but the sense of general alarm after September 11, 2001, was a fading memory. Part of our responsibility, as we saw it, was not to forget the terrible harm that had been done to America...and not to let 9/11 become the prelude to something much bigger and far worse."
Obama Counters with Plain Talk
In his speech Obama utilized straight and plan talk to make his point when he commented, "We went off course...Now let me be clear: We are indeed at war with al Qaeda and its affiliates. We do need to update our institutions to deal with this threat. But we must do so with an abiding confidence in the rule of law and due process; in checks and balances and accountability...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, and that failed to use our values as a compass," Obama said.
Mr. Obama went on to say, "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 the responsibility for keeping this country safe. And I categorically reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation."
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