As always, Seymour Hersh produced some excellent reporting on the "annals of national security", this time in regards to the dance between America, Israel, and Syria. Indeed, there is much to report on, as the new President seeks to do what no other President before could do; bring some peace to the region, and develop a dialogue between Syria and Israel. This area of Hersh's piece is being carried by much of the netroots and yes, our new and powerful liberal internet-centric media. However, far more shocking is what Hersh reports about Dick Cheney.
During the lead-up to the Gaza offensive, Operation Cast Lead, the then Vice-President referred to the then President-elect as someone that the Israelis could not trust. Much more after the jump.
Cheney, who worked closely with the Israeli leadership in the lead-up to the Gaza war, portrayed Obama to the Israelis as a "pro-Palestinian," who would not support their efforts (and, in private, disparaged Obama, referring to him at one point as someone who would "never make it in the major leagues")
To me, this stinks to high-Heaven. I hate to say it, but besides for "burrowing" officials and trying to force through last-minute deregulations, President Bush was relatively gracious to the President-elect. The same cannot be said for his then Vice-President, a man aptly named "Dick". A man who tried to undermine the new leader of the free world because of petty politics. A man who slandered the then President-elect as "pro-Palestinian"(not that there is anything wrong with that) and said that he isn't up to the task. Who undermined the man who he knew would be HIS President as much as our's. A man who put politics ahead of country. A man who is no patriot, but an egotistical ideologue convinced thoroughly of his intellect's alleged-superiority.
Upon learning in mid-November, after Barack Obama's election as President of the United States, that the Brits were going to open up a high-level dialogue regarding intelligence with Syria, Dick Cheney called it "perfidious Albion," and "a stab in the back". So I guess he's even willing to flip off our most-loyal ally, England. England, led by their Labour Party, which has suffered enormous damage by sticking it out with the U.S. of A. England, who Dick Cheney owes a lot to for having been willing to give him and then President George W. Bush a lot of benefit of doubt.
Considering Dick Cheney's recent resurfacing in the national conversation, with his toxic and non-productive criticisms of the President, this shouldn't really surprise anyone. But I am surprised. I am especially surprised that Cheney would have talked (bleep) like that behind the President's back to people that the President would have to work with. Call me "naive" if you will.
In short, Dick Cheney is a real dick.