Newspaper: Cheney makes a compelling witness

The Washington Times applauds Vice President Dick Cheney for setting the record straight on the Bush Administration's successful efforts to prevent another 9/11 despite relentless attacks from far left politicians and their liberal media allies.

The newspaper had this to say about Cheney's brilliant speech at the American Enterprise Institute:

Against Mr. Obama's insults, rhetoric and studied poses at his teleprompter, the former vice president answered with forceful words married to an understated tone of utter seriousness, with no electronic aids.

Mr. Obama accused the Bush administration of jettisoning the principles of the Constitution "for expedience sake." He accused his critics of "political posturing." And he said that "our government made decisions based upon fear rather than foresight, and all too often trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, we too often set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford."

Mr. Cheney responded that neither values nor the law had been set aside. He said that carefully selected CIA agents had been "especially prepared to apply techniques within the boundaries of their training and the limits of the law. Torture was never permitted, and the methods were given careful, legal review before they were approved. Interrogators had authoritative guidance on the line between toughness and torture, and they knew to stay on the right side of it."

The former veep is a patriot in full, the newspaper concludes.

Read the full editorial at the newspaper's Web site.