Reading through the former vice-president’s take-down of the Obama administration’s deeply flawed national-security policies, I am struck by the paradox that is Richard B. Cheney. On one hand, we have a brilliant man — a fantastic orator, expert national-security strategist, and first-class patriot. Check out the smart, hard punches packed into the following lines of yesterday’s speech:
The released memos were carefully redacted to leave out references to what our government learned through the methods in question. Other memos, laying out specific terrorist plots that were averted, apparently were not even considered for release. For reasons the administration has yet to explain, they believe the public has a right to know the method of the questions, but not the content of the answers.
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The administration seems to pride itself on searching for some kind of middle ground in policies addressing terrorism. But in the fight against terrorism, there is no middle ground, and half-measures keep you half exposed. You cannot keep just some nuclear-armed terrorists out of the United States, you must keep every nuclear-armed terrorist out of the United States. Triangulation is a political strategy, not a national security strategy.There is never a good time to compromise when the lives and safety of the American people are in the balance.
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The administration has found that it’s easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantanamo. But it’s tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America’s national security.
Yet, on the other hand, we have an unsmiling politician with minimal charisma who exudes barely any warmth. (I remember the Republicans’ attempt to soften his image at the 2004 GOP Convention by surrounding him with his grandchildren following his keynote address — it didn’t work.) For this reason, those critical of the Obama administration’s counter-terrorism policies are in a quandary. After all, the most important arguments regarding U.S. national security are coming from a former leader who, despite his sharp intelligence and deep policy experience, lacks the political skills to win over the public.
In short, Cheney’s excellent speech discredits the notion that Republicans lack compelling ideas. Rather, the problem for Republicans is a lack of fresh leaders — and, in particular, the absence of a consensus figure who can match President Obama’s charm in selling a proven national-security approach to Americans.
