In a classic case stating the obvious, Cheney admits to being involved in the decision to approve torture.
Cheney's comments also mark the first time that he has acknowledged playing a central role in clearing the CIA's use of an array of controversial interrogation tactics, including a simulated drowning method known as waterboarding.
"I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared," Cheney said in an interview with ABC News.
Asked whether he still believes it was appropriate to use the waterboarding method on terrorism suspects, Cheney said: "I do." L.A. Times
I'm not sure Bush and Cheney understand the concept of a legacy tour. Their interviews have revealed a callousness, even an contempt for the law and the consequences of their actions. The philosohpy of the whole Bush/Cheney administration can be summed up with a smirk, a shrug, and a "so what?"
Soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, Cheney said, the CIA "in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do. And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it."
CIA Director Michael V. Hayden has said that the agency used the technique on three Al Qaeda suspects in 2002 and 2003. But the practice was discontinued when lawyers from the Department of Justice and other agencies began backing away from their opinions endorsing its legality
This of course underscores the need for Obama to purge the CIA and Justice Departments as much as possible.
Asked how long Guantanamo Bay should be open, Cheney essentially said forever. He technically said it would close when "terror" is defeated, but isn't that the same thing.
Asked when the Guantanamo Bay prison would be shut down, Cheney said, "I think that that would come with the end of the war on terror." He went on to say that "nobody can specify" when that might occur, and likened the use of the detention facility to the imprisonment of Germans during World War II.
"We've always exercised the right to capture the enemy and hold them till the end of the conflict," Cheney said.
Cheney is nothing if not consistent, he has learned nothing over the past eight years and he wants us to know it. So to sum up what we've learned from these legacy interviews: Bush regrets that the intelligence about WMDs in Iraq was wrong, but we still would have gone to war with Iraq regardless of the intelligence because Saddam would have liked to have WMDs. We have achieved a great victory over Al Qeada in Iraq, even though they didn't arrive there until after the invasion, and the war in Iraq (against?) is almost won. Getting a shoe thrown at the POTUS' head is a sign of democracy being on the march. The detainees in Guantanamo can go home just as soon as terror ceases to exist. And torture is an official policy of the U.S. government.
Cheers.
Update: Video