Cheney tells AIPAC that Congressional antiwar strategy is 'undermining' US troops

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Cheney...iwar_0312.html

Ron Brynaert
Published: Monday March 12, 2007

During an address to the 2007 policy conference held by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington DC, Vice President Dick Cheney said that Congressional members who are pursuing an antiwar strategy aren't "supporting the troops; they are undermining them."

After joking that "if Karl Rove finds out about this, he won't let me out again," Cheney told AIPAC members that they "play a vital role in making the strategic and moral case for America's friendship with Israel."

The vice president then spoke of the "mind-set" of terrorists.

"Civilized, decent societies will never fully understand the kind of mind-set that drives men to strap on bombs or fly airplanes into buildings, all for the purpose of killing unsuspecting men, women and children who they have never met and who have done them no wrong, but that is the very kind of blind, prideful hatred we're up against," Cheney said. "And their aim ultimately is to acquire the means to match that hatred and to use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons to impose their will by unspeakable violence or blackmail. An enemy that operates in the shadows and views the entire world as a battlefield is not one we can fight with strategies used in other wars."

After referring to 9/11, Cheney said that it was time to tackle some "myths" that have risen regarding the war in Iraq.

"In fact, five and a half years into the struggle, we find ourselves having to confront a series of myths about the war on terror, myths that are often repeated and deserve to be refuted," Cheney said. "The most common myth is that Iraq has nothing to do with the global war on terror. Opponents of our military action there have called Iraq a diversion from the real conflict, a distraction from the business of fighting and defeating bin Laden and the al Qaeda network. We hear this over and over again, not as an argument but as an assertion meant to close off argument."

According to Cheney, "critics conveniently disregard the words of bin Laden himself," adding, "This leader of al Qaeda has referred to Baghdad as the capital of the caliphate. He has also said, and I quote, 'Success in Baghdad will be success for the United States. Failure in Iraq is the failure of the United States. Their defeat in Iraq will mean defeat in all their wars,' end quote."

"Obviously, the terrorists have no illusion about the importance of the struggle in Iraq," Cheney said. "They have not called it a distraction or a diversion from their war against the United States. They know it is the central front in that war, and it's where they've chosen to make a stand. Our Marines are fighting al Qaeda terrorists today in Anbar province. U.S. and Iraqi forces recently killed al Qaeda terrorists in Baghdad who were responsible for numerous car bomb attacks. Iraq's relevance to the war on terror simply could not be more plain."

Cheney added, "Here at home that makes one thing above all clear. If you support the war on terror, then it only makes sense to support it where the terrorists are fighting us."

"The second myth is the most transparent, and that is the notion that one can support the troops without giving them the tools and reinforcements needed to carry out their mission," Cheney said.

Cheney said that "when members of Congress pursue an antiwar strategy that's been called 'Slow-Bleed,' they're not supporting the troops; they are undermining them...and when members of Congress speak not of victory but of time limits -- when members speak not of victory but of time limits, deadlines or other arbitrary measures, they're telling the enemy simply to watch the clock and wait us out."

According to Think Progress, "The right-wing has begun a coordinated effort to smear Iraq war critics by describing their legislative plan as a 'slow-bleed strategy.'"

"The phrase was first used in an article Wednesday by John Bresnahan of The Politico; within hours, the Republican National Committee issued a release falsely claiming that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) 'call their plan the ’slow-bleed strategy,'" Think Progress noted. "In fact, as Bresnahan clarified in a subsequent article, 'slow-bleed' was 'not a term used by any Democrats or the anti-war groups supporting their efforts.'"

Transcript of Cheney's speech:

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(Cheers, applause.)

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. If Karl Rove finds out about this, he won't let me out again. (Laughter.)

Well, thank you very much for that warm welcome. And David, let me thank you for the introduction. And let me thank the AIPAC board of directors and the members from all across America for the opportunity to be here today.

I have many friends in the hall, and I especially want to acknowledge Sallai Meridor, Israel's ambassador to the U.S. -- (applause) -- and, of course, Tzipi Livni, Israel's foreign minister. (Applause.)

I also want to recognize the many students who have come from across the country -- even some, I'm told, from Wyoming. (Laughter.) Welcome to Washington. It's great to see you all here. (Applause.)

We're here today as citizens from different parts of the country, diverse backgrounds, many professions and various political affiliations. Yet we find unity and strength in the values of liberty and equality and our belief in democracy and the rule of law and in our devotion to the security of America's friend, the state of Israel. (Applause.)

As members of AIPAC, you play a vital role in making the strategic and moral case for America's friendship with Israel. I commend AIPAC for the fine work you do, not just at this annual event, but every day of the year. It's good to be in your company, and I bring warm regards from the president of the United States, George W. Bush. (Applause.)

As most of you know, the president is traveling in Latin America this week, solidifying our friendships in that region and promoting an agenda of democracy, economic progress and security. He asked me to convey to this gathering his great appreciation for your efforts, his strong support for Israel and his firm commitment to peace in the Holy Land, built on a foundation of security, not surrender. (Applause.)

The president has been clear and forthright about his vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace. He remains committed to the achievement of that vision, nor has he compromised the basic principles he has stated from the very beginning. Peace requires a Palestinian government that recognizes Israel's right to exist, accepts the validity of past agreements and renounces violence and terrorism totally and completely. (Applause.)

Progress in the cause of security and long-term peace never comes easily, yet the United States and Israel persevere in that cause. We understand, as Ariel Sharon put it, "the right and responsibility of every democracy, if it wishes to survive, to protect itself and its values. Doing so requires moral clarity, the courage of our convictions, a willingness to act when action is necessary and a refusal to submit to any form of intimidation, ever." (Applause.)

These qualities are a credit to the American and the Israeli people, and these qualities are tested every day as we wage the war on terror. Israelis know this because rockets are shot at them, and three Israeli soldiers are now being held hostage, two by Hezbollah, one by Hamas, even as we meet here today. We are the prime targets of a terror movement that is global in nature and, yes, global in its ambitions. The leaders of this movement speak openly and specifically of building a totalitarian empire covering the Middle East, extending into Europe and reaching across to the islands of Indonesia, one that would impose a narrow, radical vision of Islam that rejects tolerance, suppresses dissent, brutalizes women and has one of its foremost objectives the destruction of Israel.

Their creed is extreme and backward-looking, yet their methods are modern and sophisticated. The terrorists use the Internet to spread propaganda, to find new recruits, and they're employing every other tool of communication and finance to carry out their plans. It's odd to think of ideologues out of the Dark Ages having a modern media strategy, but the fact is they do. They take videos of their attacks and put them up on the Internet to get them broadcast on television. They send messages and images by e-mail and tell their followers to spread the word. They wage war by stealth and murder, disregarding the rules of warfare and rejoicing in the death of the innocent. And not even the instinct of self-preservation is a restraint. The terrorists value death the same way you and I value life.

Civilized, decent societies will never fully understand the kind of mind-set that drives men to strap on bombs or fly airplanes into buildings, all for the purpose of killing unsuspecting men, women and children who they have never met and who have done them no wrong, but that is the very kind of blind, prideful hatred we're up against. And their aim ultimately is to acquire the means to match that hatred and to use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons to impose their will by unspeakable violence or blackmail. An enemy that operates in the shadows and views the entire world as a battlefield is not one we can fight with strategies used in other wars.

An enemy with fantasies of martyrdom is not going to sit down at a table for negotiations, nor can we fight to a standoff -- (applause) -- nor can we fight to a standoff, hoping that some form of containment or deterrence will protect our people. The only option for our security and survival is to go on the offensive, facing the threat directly, patiently and systematically, until the enemy is destroyed. (Applause.)

The war on terror is more than a contest of arms and more than a test of will. It is also a battle of ideas. We know now to a certainty that when people across the Middle East are denied freedom, that is a direct strategic concern of all free nations. By taking the side of moderates, reformers and advocates for democracy, by providing an alternative to hateful ideologies, we improve the chances for a lasting peace, and we advance our own security interest.

In the last two years, we have seen hopeful changes as men and women showed their desire to live in freedom, and we have seen the enemy's fierce reaction. In 2005 the people of Lebanon proclaimed the Cedar Revolution and drove out their Syrian occupiers. (Applause.) That same year, the people of Afghanistan elected a parliament. And in Iraq citizens voted in three national elections, turning out in the millions to defy killers and car bombers, and to elect a government that serves under the most progressive constitution in the Arab world.

In 2006 freedom's enemies struck back with new tactics and greater fury. In Lebanon, Hezbollah terrorists, who are supported by Iran and Syria, attacked Israel, killing Israelis and sending rockets into civilian areas, and have since worked to undermine Lebanon's democratically elected government.

Also, in 2006, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan waged a new offensive against Afghan and NATO forces, and Iraq's Sunni and Shi'a extremists engaged in an escalating sectarian struggle that continues to this day.

End Part I