Posted on 07/31/2007 3:43:06 PM PDT by indcons
WASHINGTON, July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday admitted he was wrong when he declared the Iraq insurgency virtually over in 2005.
In an interview with CNN's Larry King, Cheney said he thought at the time the capture of Saddam Hussein, elections and other milestones would be enough to undermine the insurgency.
"That clearly didn't happen," Cheney admitted. "I think the insurgency turned out to be more robust."
Cheney predicted, however, Iraq will be in a much better position by the time he and U.S. President George Bush leave office Jan. 20, 2009.
The vice president said he is opposed to closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, saying, "you need to have someplace to hold those individuals who have been captured during the global war on terror."
Cheney also told CNN he doesn't care about whether he's well-liked and doesn't bear any grudges against Brent Scowcroft, who has said, "This is not the Dick Cheney I knew."
"If I were in the business to be popular, I suppose I'd be worried about my poll ratings and so forth. I'm not," said Cheney, adding he has no plans ever to run for office or seek another government post again. "I came here to do a job. I'm not running for any office, myself."
Cheney repeated in the CNN interview his assertion that the vice president is part of both the executive and legislative branches of government -- noting his paycheck comes from the Senate.
Cheney would have made a great president. Truman redux.
He has many fans, me included.
Used to call him a "real straight shooter".
“War is a series of calamaties that result in victory.” - Clemenceau.
There will never be a “perfect” war.
One thing I noticed (gratefully) was that Cheney never said word one about the immigration bill. Somehow I don’t think he was in favor of it. (Hope it’s not just wishful thinking)
GOOD for him that he opposes closing Gitmo!!
Good quote.
He wasn’t wrong.
“U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday admitted he was wrong when
he declared the Iraq insurgency virtually over in 2005.”
I give him credit for being big enough to admit the mis-assessment.
And also wish that he and Dubya had stepped up earlier and really
prosecuted the conflict (e.g., multiple surges if needed).
Of course, that sort of strategery is above my payscale, so that’s
just a naive civilian’s comments.
The so called insurgency is being fed by foreign nations and terrorist groups.
We are largely at war with foreigners IN Iraq. If we could take the war to the sponsor nations like Iran nothing would be off the table. As it is, we are fighting a politically correct police action without curfews.
I wish every day he’d toss his hat in the ring.
He woould have been right!
F'n rats.
There was an insurgency that arose in the Reconstruction South after America’s Civil War called the KKK. It lasted for roughly 100 years. Imagine if Nazi Germany and the USSR had provided them with weapons and training to continue their campaign of terror.
Don’t call yourself a ‘naive civilian’. You are *THEIR* boss. The POTUS and VPOTUS are civil servants, deserving of no more awe or deference than a city council member.
Thank you for a wonderful quote I had never heard, but I will repeat. Often.
susie
They do know things we don’t.
susie
Gotta LOVE a national figure who doesn’t care about being liked in the short term. He and W are two men who know who they are. HIstory will be very kind.
I look at it this way: do I want Bush/Cheney in charge of my nation’s security or would I prefer Kerry/Edwards or Reid/Pelosi ? A no brainer.
And to those who would inevitably bring up the immigration issue: if you think Bush’s position is bad (it is) ...imagine what Gore/Kerry/Clinton/Obama would do.
I love George Bush...but Dick Cheney is the man!
Absolutely....
and without the Democratic bagggage that Truman carried....
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