Liz Cheney Echoes V.P. Dick - Part 1 (HQ)

Part 1 of 5: Liz Cheney regurgitates her father's claims with Joe Scarborough (via telephone), co-host Mika Brzezinski, Mike Barnicle, Willie Geist and Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times. MSNBC's Morning Joe (aired: 05/12/09).

Editorial: Joe Scarborough makes the claim that 50% of Americans agree with the use of 'enhanced' interrogation techniques aka torture. Let me hear from you in the Comment Section: Pro or Con these techniques.

Mini-Bar Bio: Elizabeth Cheney Perry (born July 28, 1966), graduated high school in 1984. She received her bachelor's degree from Colorado College where she wrote her senior thesis, "The Evolution of Presidential War Powers," in 1988. She received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1996, having also taken courses in Middle Eastern history at the Oriental Institute.

Prior to attending law school, Cheney worked for the State Department for five years and the U.S. Agency for International Development between 1989 and 1993. After 1993, she took a job at Armitage Associates LLP, the consulting firm founded by Richard Armitage, then a former Defense Department official and Iran-Contra operative who later served as Deputy Secretary of State.

In 2002, Cheney was appointed to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. a pre-existing vacant post with an "economic portfolio," which is a mandate to promote investment in the region. Amid reports, including a New York Times editorial by Paul Krugman,saying that the job was created especially for her, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that she had come recommended by Colin Powell. After two years of service, Cheney left her first State Department post in 2003 to serve in her father's re-election campaign.

In February 2005, she returned to the US State Department and was appointed the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State For Near Eastern Affairs and Coordinator for Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiatives. In this position, Cheney supported the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, C. David Welch, and coordinated U.S. multilateral efforts to promote and support democracy, expanded education and economic opportunities in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Her position made her the second-ranking U.S. diplomat for the Middle East. Cheney oversaw the launch of two semi-independent foundations, the Fund of the Future (worth $100 million, to provide capital for small businesses and the Foundation of the Future (worth $55 million), to promote freedom of the press and democracy. In that capacity, Cheney endorsed a controversial draft of a new Iraqi constitution.

Elizabeth Cheney also headed the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG), established in March 2006, a unit within the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

In April 2006, The New York Times published a story critical of Cheney's work, particularly with respect to Iran. Of particular scrutiny was a grants program administered by Elizabeth Cheney's unit, in collaboration with a Republican-affiliated foundation, the International Republican Institute. The Times maintained that when the group became controversial, attracting criticism from some who saw it as plotting covert actions that could escalate into war with Iran and Syria, the group was disbanded, by May of 2006. Shortly before the ISOG group was dissolved, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice initiated a major effort to engage Iran and Syria in efforts to stabilize Iraq.

Cheney signed on in June 2007 to serve as one of three national co-chairs for Fred Thompson and his 2008 presidential campaign. The other co-chairs were Spencer Abraham and George Allen. In a press release issued at the beginning of his campaign, Thompson said he was "very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Sen. Fred Thompson added: "These distinguished individuals bring wise counsel and invaluable experience to my campaign leadership team, and they will play a critical role in helping spread my consistent conservative message across America." After Thompson dropped out of the race, Cheney announced on January 27, 2008 that she would work for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, serving as a senior foreign policy advisor.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• liz
• cheney
• joe
• scarborough
• torture
• interrogation
• dawgnpony

[rhmariano]

I know about that history. How about very recent history you do not need to read about - 9/11. How do you then suggest we get the info - ask politely? As to suspected murderers, that's the difference, they're suspected. The three people that were "tortured" were terrorists! Intent on killing as MANY Americans. If a serial killer was captured and their was still a victim missing, what would you do?

[dawgnpony]

Perhaps you are privy to more than I, but having not seen any evidence regarding these detainees and as I grew up in a country where 'presumed innocent' is the rule of law, I'll reserve any assumptions and refer to those being held in custody as alleged and/or suspect(s). You obviously place more value on American lives which makes you equal to those that place more value on Muslim lives. I'll leave you with "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." Mark Twain.

[kopke30]

personally i dont like torture, but when it comes to terrorists everything is off the table because they will kill me or my family if they had the chance so yes to terrorists but no to anybody else.

[dawgnpony]

kopke30, when these detainees are tortured, they are 'suspected' or 'alleged' terrorists. So, to protect ourselves and our families shall we begin torturing all suspected murderers? 2007 U.S. Murders:  16,929. What about protection from possible rape and violent crime? Rapes: 90,427 ; Violent Crime 1,408,337 (U.S. 2007). If you are truly located in Central America, I find your lack of understanding human rights astonishing given the fairly recent violent history of your county.

[rhmariano]

these people were captured on the battle ground fighting with our forces. you are talking about police powers and law enforcement vs. winning a war. stick to the subject and stop bringing up arguments that don't make sense.

[dawgnpony]

rhmariano: "these people were captured on the battle ground". Many innocent Afghanis and Iraqis were turned in for reward. Read some world history, it is not the first time the 'bounty' tactic was used to grab land or for revenge.  As to "stick to the subject", kopke30's reasoning for torture being okay was "they will kill me or my family" therefore, following that logic, torture would apply to murder, and then other violent acts. This is the way it starts.

[demowarrior]

Joe is clearly an idealogue.

Lying Cheneys - the pathological lying father and daughter tag team. It's embarassing watching them repeating the same lies ad nauseum. They look like the walking dead. LIZ CHENY WILL SURELY TALK HER WAY INTO A SANATORIUM!Lying Cheneys - the pathological lying father and daughter tag team. It's embarassing watching them repeating the same lies ad nauseum. They look like the walking dead. LIZ CHENY WILL SURELY TALK HER WAY INTO A SANATORIUM!

[im4wur]

Why is it that the GOP needs to lie about the facts to support their arguments?

"In 30 polls taken since the 9/11 attacks, the average public approval for American use of torture is 44 percent, ranging as low as 15 percent and as high as 49 percent, depending on the vagaries of the question. When asked most directly if they think it is "acceptable to torture people suspected of terrorism," only 35 percent of Americans express approval."

(source: oregonlive. com)

[jonseygurl12]

The incredible power of self-denial

[JohnnyRock2000]

911 was payback for America's involvement in the Middle East. Shut down Israel and negotiate with the Arab countries or let Israel lead the west into a world nuclear war.

[minion00069]

@dawgnpony i got u with cheney but if we keep up with u american this u brit that or u white guy this versus u black guy that we all r fucked

[mmm413]

@growliberty I hope she runs, too. But not for the same reasons you do.

[mmm413]

@fearnoevilexceptbush OUTSTANDING post.

[mmm413]

@rhmariano Actually, not all of these people were captured on the battleground "fighting with our forces." Most of them happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[ragnasock]

In the 50s, we heard the same garbage about communism. Anybody still sticking up for blackballing potential communists or executing the Rosenburg's now? In another fifty years we'll be hearing about how bizarre, and ineffective we were in the wake of 911. It would be nice if we got back to being on the right side of history and embraced the constitution again. As Franklin said, 'Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both'.

[luchpockets]

What B.S. !

[fearnoevilexceptbush]

Obama is cherry-picking intelligence??? What about the strong statements by The Dick cum suis on Saddams WMD, his nuclear programs, his acquiring of fissle materials in Africa, the ties between Iraq and El Qaida and the whole lot based on all this 'strong' intel that The Dick cum suis had. It's enough to make you weep.

[rskyrsol]

she has the same crooked smile.