Posted by
Bert Chapman on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 7:50:44 PM
I've recently purchased a Kindle and one of the first books I'm enjoying on it is former Vice-President Dick Cheney's memoirs In My Time. As a conservative, you've got to love Cheney for the way he drives leftists into an absolute frenzy. Cheney is a cerebral conservative who does not pander to the leftist "bien pensants" in the U.S. or internationally. He calmly does his job, speaks truth to power, and is serene in knowing that the overwhelming preponderance of public policy decisions he makes are correct. His support of enhanced interrogation of terrorists resulted in many intelligence successes including the murder of Osama Bin Laden earlier this year. Bush Administration policies kept America safe from further terrorists attacks in the U.S. during the remainder of that administration which is a enormous security accomplishment.
Cheney's refusal to "apologize" for supporting such coercive interrogation is particularly gratifying given the egregious incompetence and ignorance of much of the western world, most recently demonstrated by a European Parliament report condemning extraordinary rendition, in understanding the vicious and uncompromising nature of Islamist terrorism and its adherents. Our country and other democracies need such clear eyed leaders as we deal with current and emerging security threats in the first quarter of this century.
His memoir, ably co-written with his daughter Liz, describes his life growing up in Nebraska and Wyoming, his significant public service career in Washington, DC serving as an official in the Nixon Administrations' Office of Economic Opportunity, his service as President Ford's White House Chief of Staff, his tenure in the House of Representatives, service as Secretary of Defense during an epochal four year period, and his highly influential time as Vice-President. He also tells about his service with Halliburton Corporation which is a prominent and skilled energy services company targeted for its success by leftist luddites and neanderthals. He also speaks candidly about his heart problems, his relationship with his family, and his relationships with policymaking colleagues.
Much media attention has been focused on his criticisms of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. Tension between policymakers in the U.S. Government and other national governments (whether they are democratic or dictatorial) is par for the course and as old as human history. Both Powell and Rice are distinguished public servants, but they are not immune from criticism for their policies. Powell was more concerned with currying favor with the Washington establishment instead of promoting a more assertive foreign policy demanded by the post 9/11 global security architecture. Rice, who will overall be regarded as a good Secretary of State, unfortunately let herself get captured by the appeasement oriented foreign service establishment into believing that a nuclear agreement was possible with the brutal and narcissistic North Korean government. Rice's memoirs of her time as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State are due out in November so it will be interesting to see how she responds to Cheney's criticisms of her and how she interprets Bush Adminstration foreign and national security policies. Different policymaker viewpoints on issues are an intrinsic part of the governmental process and a key fabric in the tapestry of historical writing. Cheney's perspectives must be included with the perspectives already provided on Bush 43 presidency historiography with the accounts already provided by President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, and the soon to be published work by Secretary Rice.
Dick Cheney will go down as one of America's most powerful and influential Vice-Presidents. Despite his fragile heart health, he made significant, substantive, and good contributions to American politics, government, and national security for nearly four decades. He will be ranked historically as one of our most influential government officials who never became President and, hopefully, he will continue enhancing our knowledge of domestic and international affairs in the years to come, while also driving leftists into apoplectic frenzies with his candor, unvarnished realism, and tenacious sagacity.