Posted on 11/16/2005 4:05:19 PM PST by Oeconomicus
CHENEY FIGHTS BACK Wed Nov 16 2005 18:56:46 ET Excerpts As Prepared For Delivery Tonight by Vice President Cheney
THE VICE PRESIDENT: "As most of you know, I have spent a lot of years in public service, and first came to work in Washington, D.C. back in the late 1960s. I know what it’s like to operate in a highly charged political environment, in which the players on all sides of an issue feel passionately and speak forcefully.
In such an environment people sometimes lose their cool, and yet in Washington you can ordinarily rely on some basic measure of truthfulness and good faith in the conduct of political debate. But in the last several weeks we have seen a wild departure from that tradition.
And the suggestion that’s been made by some U. S. senators that the President of the United States or any member of this Administration purposely misled the American people on pre-war intelligence is one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city...
Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing force against Saddam Hussein. These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence, and were free to draw their own conclusions.
They arrived at the same judgment about Iraq’s capabilities and intentions that was made by this Administration and by the previous Administration. There was broad-based, bipartisan agreement that Saddam Hussein was a threat … that he had violated U.N. Security Council Resolutions … and that, in a post-9/11 world, we couldn’t afford to take the word of a dictator who had a history of WMD programs, who had excluded weapons inspectors, who had defied the demands of the international community, who had been designated an official state sponsor of terror, and who had committed mass murder.
Those are facts.
What we’re hearing now is some politicians contradicting their own statements and making a play for political advantage in the middle of a war. The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures – conducting raids, training Iraqi forces, countering attacks, seizing weapons, and capturing killers – and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie.
The President and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone – but we’re not going to sit by and let them rewrite history.
We’re going to continue throwing their own words back at them. And far more important, we’re going to continue sending a consistent message to the men and women who are fighting the war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other fronts.
We can never say enough how much we appreciate them, and how proud they make us. They and their families can be certain: That this cause is right … and the performance of our military has been brave and honorable … and this nation will stand behind our fighting forces with pride and without wavering until the day of victory.
Developing...
Amen to your prayer.
That is truly a marvelous portrait of our Vice-President, jonny. You should send it to Mr. BigTime himself!
And congratulations, snugs, and Happy Birthday!
lol
Stunning pics on your profile page. Cheney in that cowboy hat is one for the ages. Simply outstanding.
LOVE the photo of Reagan and Maggie too! What absolute wonders they were (are).
I love you even more now, if that's possible!
What a truly terrific talent you have.
I thought that was "The Hulk"...nevertheless, good job and point taken.
"Where is Senator Allen?"
Good point. He should step up now.
God bless our Vice President, Dick Cheney, for so eloquently stating the TRUTH!!!! God bless our troops who tonight have to be rejoicing as well!! It's been long overdue for our President and Vice President, and others who really do "get it", to speak out AND BE HEARD! BRAVO!!
That line left a mark...
FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Indeed. I really want him to run in 08, and he can only help himself and the party now if he intends to.
I love it!! "OPERATION SPREAD THE TRUTH"! PERFECT! :)
Yeah! Go get 'em, Mr. Vice President!
Wow..... Cheney is our guy after dubya that is.
My sister had the honor of seeing President Bush in person last summer. She called us to tell us all about it and I was GREEN with envy!
Let us hope that when the White House press corps demands President Bush disavow VP Cheney's " hateful and hurtful remarks "- McClellan doesn't fold and hem and haw his way to that end.
This should be beginning of Operation Verbal Bayonet to defeat the lies of the unpatriotic, anti American, military loathing , terrorist enabling Democrats.
"I had the pleasure of seeing President Bush in person, but I do hope to also have a chance to see our Beloved Vice President, sometime in the next 3 years."
In the 2004 campaign, I shook Cheney's hand!
As close to the top as I ever got or am likely to. I won't forget it.
My encouragement and appreciation has been conveyed to the proper WH agencies.
:^)
USMCPOP,
I'm over here, about to lose it. I was only four when we cut and ran from Nam. I will do what I can to honor your son's memory, and make sure that we do not do the same thing here in my lifetime. I SWEAR IT.
I saw him in October of last year in Greeley, CO on a campaign stop. It was sooooo awesome! An experience I will never forget.
Too bad my sons were too young to realize what they were seeing. But, we have pictures for future reference.
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