Cheney is dead wrong on just about everything about terror, and continues to try to re-write history. He’s wrong on how to prosecute terrorists. He has proven himself incompetent in running a war. He continues to defend torture, even as we know that it is the prime recruitment tool for terrorists.
Cheney is simply wrong. He needs to STFU.
Let’s start with the KnickerBomber. One of the reasons that the Obama administration read him Miranda is that it's the law. Military or civilian. (In either case, Miranda is necessary only if the evidence is to be used in trial. Of course, other information - intelligence - is not affected by Miranda.)
Civilian arrests require Miranda.
Military arrests require Miranda.
Civilian and Military both give lawyers as soon as they are asked for.
Difference? None.
Cheney wants the terrorists tried in Military Tribunals, far from the light of day. Why?
Efficiency? 3 Military tribunals, 2 already released (time served).
Civilian trials - 317 terrorism convictions, all are still in jail.
317 Terrorism trials have taken place in the US. Do you remember any problems? NO.
Why does Cheney want everything done out of the public view? Cheney just wants to torture them! - despite the fact that FBI interrogators have a far better track record, much more actionable intelligence, and have not broken our laws or moral code. He just doesn't get it. Torture gets you something, but virtually no one thinks that it gets accurate information. And it was amateur hour - the SERE waterboarders at Gitmo had a total of 0 interrogations between them before they started torturing terrorists. And anyone who thinks waterboarding isn't torture should stop listening to John Yoo and read about the prosecutions of waterboarders for war crimes.
Torture has served as a powerful tool for terrorist recruitment. John McCain recalled talking with an Al Qaeda leader in Iraq who joined the movement because of Abu Ghraib and used it to recruit others. Military Tribunals would send the message that we were trying them in kangaroo courts, hurting our international image and aiding terrorist recruitment.
And Cheney gives advice about wars? Does he remember one called Afghanistan? The one that’s still raging? He had how many – 20,000? – troops in Afghanistan when he diverted 190,000 to Iraq to settle his boss’s grudge. And he’s paying the Taliban to escort our supply convoys in Afghanistan. Good military planning? Dick, you started 2 wars and ended none – that’s not success!
Dick (I hope you don’t mind me calling you a Dick, Dick), you’re trying to re-write both facts and history. You should be tried as a war criminal, and you’re giving us more information to see your guilt. For your sake (and ours!), please just STFU, Dick!