He Can't Seem To Win For Losing

As documented in the post below, President Obama has been killing terrorists right and left since he came into office. Steve Benen and others have often asked why he doesn't take a victory lap like Bush and Cheney did anytime anyone remotely connected to terrorism was caught or killed. It's an interesting question. Some put it down to No Drama Obama and the sense of the Cool. Others to his reluctance to exaggerate the United States role and occupation in the Middle East.

But there is no keeping the Right down. When Anwar Al-awalaki was killed this past week, Fox and Friends talked about how weak President Obama was in the war on terror. The reality is that what Obama thinks is peace is the time it takes for him to reload. Interestingly, Gallup had a poll out last week that showed that Americans still believed Republicans were better on national security. Remember this was a party, which had been warned , and left the nation defenseless on 9/11.

But not to be outdone by Fox and Friends was Dick Cheney appearing on CNN this morning. Cheney said he was pleased Obama was now (what about for the past 21/2 years) taking robust actions against terrorists. And, for the sheer gall, Cheney wondered whether Obama would apologize to the Bush Administration for his criticism of their security policies.

Let's just step back. Cheney's memoir, which I gave a scatter-shot review of it, didn't mention the run up to 9/11. The Vice President himself was put in charge of a terrorism task force, which is never mentioned in his book, and he recommended that the issue of terrorism be dealt with by FEMA. Remember Heckuva Good Job Brownie. He didn't mention the detailed warnings from Richard Clarke about a strike within the United States by Al Qaeda. Then when he happens, Cheney freaks out and crusades for the use of torture, something banned by America since even during our Revolutionary War.

So what, pray tell, is President Obama supposed to apologize to you about? He wrongfully let all those involved in torture escape prosecution and actually assured Dick Cheney days after his election not to worry about his own culpability in these matters. You would think Cheney would be kissing his ass for the last few years since he was certain to be tried in the Hague. He should be there listening to the collection of Frank Sinatra records Milosvic left behind when he died before his trial was completed.

Why CNN allows Dick Cheney to appear at all at this late date is beyond me. Any time the President secures a victory, Cheney is always there to try and undercut it and plead his very miserable case.

The United States will be cursed with the disaster of the Bush years for decades to come. But the sooner we don't have to listen to Cheney the better off we all will be.

When I think about all the conservatives talking about a pre-9/11 mentality, I just think of the time we were actually free and didn't jail ourselves.