Posted on 11/16/2001 1:10:45 PM PST by america-rules
By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) fired a broadside at critics of the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan (news - web sites) on Wednesday, saying they had been ``dead wrong'' in sniping at the pace of a 39-day bombing against the Taliban.
Boasting that the Taliban were in flight ``virtually all over the country,'' he chided analysts who accused the Pentagon (news - web sites) of not dropping more bombs or putting more troops into Afghanistan.
``It's nice, at a moment like this, to be able to remind them (critics) that a lot of what they put out over the course of the last few weeks was just dead wrong,'' Cheney told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (news - web sites) in a speech.
He was not specific about the critics but said it included military pundits, the Washington press and ``talking heads'' on television.
Praising Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff, the vice president said that ''we've got some great people running the operation. And the results are there for all to see.''
Cheney cautioned that the war was far from over in Afghanistan despite the collapse in many areas of military forces of the fundamentalist Muslim Taliban, who have ruled the country for five years.
``This is a very good beginning to what's likely to be a long struggle,'' he said.
``They (the Taliban) have lost their control over a major part of Afghanistan. They've lost control of most of the cities. Many of their forces have been killed, captured or fled to the hills,'' he said.
But in another apparent jab at critics, he noted that President Bush (news - web sites) had vowed to end support by the Taliban and other countries worldwide for ``terrorist'' networks such as al Qaeda guerrillas of fugitive Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), accused of masterminding Sept. 11 attacks on America.
``I think this morning, in the fate that has befallen the Taliban, there is proof positive,'' the vice president said.
``If anybody has any questions about whether or not we're determined to carry through on that threat, all they have to do is go visit Afghanistan today and interview members of the Taliban -- if they can find any.''
Bush is in Texas. It would take two nuclear explosions to get both of them. This is just responsible (adult) planning.
Oh good, I was hoping someone would mention Billy Kristol! Cheney didn't have to name names.......WE KNOW!
Don't expect consistency from the liberal elite. Slashing, hissing, and complaining are ever so much easier than thinking and contributing.
Just give it time, one thing I've learned from watching Bush and his crew in action is that they don't tell the media and public every move they are making.
There is a lot going on behind the scenes we don't know about.
OBL is STILL enemy #1, I'd bet on that.
Or at least until he's dead then he will be replaced by a new enemy #1 and I'd also be willing to bet his intials are SH.
MKM
You're talking out of your posterior now....Buchanan supporters are anti-America??? You're flat out nuts, or a liar...Or Both...
Bush bombs a 4th world country that has no military and no defense and he's a hero??? A real hero would slam shut the borders of our country and remove all illegal aliens...NOW....And not take away the civil liberties of honest American people in the process...
I support what Bush is doing and your attempt to paint a picture of Bush as being the patriotic president is absurd...Buchanan ran on an America First platform and as far as I know, Bush has not kept a single campaign promise he made...Bush ran on his NWO paltform and any idiot knows it...
If you don't like Buchanan, so be it...But you want to start calling Buchanan supporters unpatriotic, you are not only dishonest but you will have a fight...
Right On !
Go get'm Dick
Uh, I've been a little out of touch for the last 24 hours. Anything important happen?
Norm Mineta. I believe he was the Mayor of Denver, CO when their new airport was screwed up - I mean built. All I can figure is that Mineta must have something on Dubya.
Not!
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