#77 - Dick Cheney, Master of Hypocrisy

So a couple of weeks ago at Unity 2004 John Kerry says, among other things, "I believe I can fight a more effective, more thoughtful, more strategic, more proactive, more sensitive war on terror that reaches out to other nations and brings them to our side and lives up to American values in history."

And on Thursday in a speech to veterans Dick Cheney decides to ignore effective, thoughtful, strategic, and proactive, and instead goes with, "America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes, but not a one of them was won by being sensitive."

(They weren't won by guys with five deferments, either, Dick.)

He goes on, "A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans and who seek chemical, nuclear and biological weapons to kill hundreds of thousands more. The men who beheaded Daniel Pearl and Paul Johnson will not be impressed by our sensitivity."

And later that day Hugh Hewitt interviews Dick and says: "Today you brought attention to John Kerry's plan to wage a more 'sensitive' war on terror. What do you think John Kerry meant when he said 'sensitive,' Mr. Vice President?"

And Dick responds, "Well, I'm not sure what he meant (laughing).  Ah, it strikes me the two words don't really go together, sensitive and war. If you look at our history, I don't think any of the wars we've won, were won by us being quote sensitive.  I think of Abraham Lincoln and General Grant, they didn't wage sensitive war.  Neither did Roosevelt, neither did Eisenhower or MacArthur in World War II.  A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans, and who seek chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons to kill hundreds of thousands more."

And later in the same interview Hewitt asks, "Will the Najaf offensive continue until that city is subdued even if that means a siege of the Imam Ali shrine?"

To which Dick responds, "Well, from the standpoint of the shrine, obviously it is a sensitive area, and we are very much aware of its sensitivity.  On the other hand, a lot of people who worship there feel like Moqtada Sadr is the one who has defiled the shrine, if you will, and I would expect folks on the scene there, including U.S. commanders, will work very carefully with the Iraqis so that we minimize the extent to which the U.S. is involved in any operation that might involve the shrine itself." (via Eschaton)

It would be funny if it wasn't so damn sad.