Cheney postpones visit amid planned protest, calls for arrest
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Former VP Dick Cheney was scheduled to be at the Miller Center on Wednesday to promote his new book.president's office
Just two days before a scheduled visit from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the Miller Center at the University of Virginia announced November 14 that Cheney would be postponing his visit to talk about his new book, In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir. Originally, Cheney had been scheduled to visit with his daughter, Liz Cheney, who co-authored the book with her father, but that later became a solo visit from the former VP.
According to Miller Center Director of Communications Kristy Schantz, Cheney postponed the November 16 visit for "personal reasons" and plans to reschedule sometime early next year. Schantz said the last minute cancellation had nothing to do with a planned protest outside the Miller Center, or a request from local anti-war activist David Swanson to local government and police officials that Cheney be arrested for "conspiracy to torture."
"Were a local resident credibly accused of torture, I sincerely doubt you would hesitate to seek his or her immediate arrest and indictment," wrote Swanson in a letter to Mayor Dave Norris and Police Chief Timothy Longo.
Cheney has unapologetically and publicly supported the Bush Administration's use of water-boarding between 2001 and 2009, something many construe to be torture.
Indeed, Miller Center audience members caused a ruckus last year during a visit from University of California law professor John Yoo, the Justice Department lawyer who wrote the infamous "torture memos" that the Bush Administration used to justify water-boarding terrorist suspects, prompting a scolding from the Center's programs director, George Gilliam, accustomed to more staid Miller Center forum events.
In fact, Swanson and several other protesters were hauled away by police during that event. Asked to sit down after being the first to ask Yoo questions, Swanson refused and shouted, "I am not going to sit down in a room with a war criminal." An afternoon protest followed the forum event.
This time, Swanson and company were planning a similar protest, mostly because Miller Center officials had decided not to allow such disruptions during the forum event.
In his letter, Swanson cites the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor and calls on Chief Longo "never to betray" his badge and "always uphold the Constitution" in an attempt to convince him of the logic of arresting Cheney for advocating torture.
Indeed, protesters in Charlottesville appear to have taken a page from Code Pink's playbook. In San Francisco last week, the activist group demanded the same thing of local police when Cheney attended a conference at the Palace Hotel, effectively launching an "Arrest Cheney" movement that seems to be following the former VP around the country. And also to other countries. In September, a Cheney visit to Vancouver to discuss his new book drew 250 protesters and similar demands for his arrest by local officials.
"There is no good excuse I am aware of not to arrest Dick Cheney if he sets foot in Charlottesville," wrote Swanson. "Other towns in the United States have passed ordinances committing to seeking his arrest should he set foot there. Charlottesville should be able to expect no less of its law enforcement officers."
59 comments
I think it may be time for David Swanson to either spend some time in jail or seek some serious mental health help.
It's unfortunate that Cheney wouldn't be in town, I was hoping he could get a taste of what his torture policies did to ordinary Iraqi citizens, plucked from their families with no warning. The portraits and testimonies, by Daniel Heyman, of Abu Ghraib detainees in "Bearing Witness"- a show currently at UVA's Ruffin Gallery are rendered with beauty and emotion.
from the catalogue:
" I witnessed the interviews of over 40 former detainees of Abu Ghraib Prison's notorious " hard site" . Often the victims of torture- for what else can we call this? - were arrested in the middle of the night ripped from their homes by mob-like patrols of US soldiers. ....
After hearing the particulars of an arrest I heard the particulars of each interrogation ....- things so awful it is hard to write them here. "
But write them he does and scrolled across the portraits - bearing witness to the policies of our government and the dictates of Dick Cheney.
" I am a farmer . I was 22 at the time of the arrest ...They brought me to interrogation and tied a rope around my middle and hooked this to hooks on the wall. My feet were off the ground. My arms and leg that were broken were painful, and my penis that was still tied tight hurt from the dragging. I was interrogated 3 hours. The interpreter shook my broken leg, and they shot my wrist with an electrical gun. That lasted 3 hours. I passed out. I came to in my cell. I was in so much pain. I was screaming. They dragged me by my arms....."
Please, if you do nothing else --do not miss this show ! If you have not paid attention to the torture at Abu Ghraib these gripping, beautiful portraits of victims will touch you forever, and you will never be the same- I promise.
The exhibit " Bearing Witness " by Daniel Heyman at Ruffin Gallery
October 28th, 2011 - December 2nd, 2011 | 9am - 5:00pm
179 Culbreth Road. 924-6123.
Because of Cheney's efforts to defend this country, David Swanson and City Girl haven't faced a domestic attack since 9/11; they should both feel free to leave for a more enlightened, third-world country at any time.
@TC - There are no facts to support your hypothesis, many other factors are in play.
This good man deserves our gratitude for helping to keep the country safe.
God bless Mr. Cheney!
I thank David Swanson for his letter to Charlottesville leadership and police. I agree that Dick Cheney and other former and current administration should be indicted for crimes and prosecuted for crimes against humanity. To those who are missing Dick, I wouldn't hold breath for rescheduled visit.
The Charlottesville Police (via Maurice Jones, via City Council) wouldn't arrest the 'occupiers' in Lee Park for two nights past curfew without a permit. What makes Swanson think they would arrest Dick Cheney? LOL. Somebody tell me he was joking. Please.
Dave was all excited to run around the front of the Miller Center hoisting the cardboard drone used in that pitiful street theatre of his at Perriello's office last year. The poor boy is all dressed up for a protest with nowhere to go
But I've got an idea. Since Evan Knappenberger has literally folded his tent and slinked out of Lee Park, I bet there's space available for Dave! I think he should go Occupy himself.
Cheney died years ago. What's left is an animatronic facsimile (of course, he never had a heart to begin with).
Yes the world is safer for Haliburton now. Safer for quail too.
"We kept us safe for seven years," Cheney says!
He didn't cherry-pick information to support the invasion,- it was his completely fabricated lies. Those lies and that invasion caused the deaths of 5,000 soldiers, and he knew, like everyone, that they'd be killed as invaders. Those soldiers died for nothing.
Cheney is a mass murderer.
Cheney, Wolfowitz, and the others should all be tried for war crimes, except Bush. You can't hold an idiot responsible for their actions. I use the word "idiot" in the clinical sense. Yes we have lost close to 5000 souls but that doesn't come close to the tens of thousands civilians we have massacred. For those who fantasize about a valid reason for us to be there ask yourself this: Where did they find the weapons of mass destruction? Don't know? I'll tell you, in the Golf of Tonkin. Don't know where that is or the significance of the question? Then keep your thoughts to yourself cause any post you make is unworthy for consideration.
I am concerned that killing, torturing, murdering, has become so sanitized through mass media and modern techniques of warfare, that we no longer have a real understanding of the horror it brings to individual lives and families.
That is why I feel so strongly that the show at Ruffin is a must, but sadly, those who go are most likely those who have already had the courage to look war in the eye.
It is easy to support unjust war from a perch of comfort.
Since 9/11 happened on Cheney and Bush's watch, I find it hard to believe anyone can think of Cheney as competent in keeping us safe. That administration had how many warnings from international intelligence agencies from the CIA itself, and did nothing. In fact CHENEY ORDERED NORAD to " stand down" on 9/11 as the planes flew into prohibited airspace.
Cheney outed a CIA operative and cost people in that agency their lives by doing so, as well as that operative her career, just to punish her husband for not going along with their lie about yellow cake uraniam in Niger. She was "Fair Game."
Outing a CIA operative is considered to be treason in this country, which is punishable by death,. The man should have been executed by the justice department for his crimes years ago. Then we would all be safer~oh, except Halliburton, of course, the nation's #1 recipient of federal (i.e., our taxpeyers' ) dollars.
None so blind as those who will not see.
How sad to see from these comments that there are still some out there who actually believe Cheney and his cohorts made us safer. I can only assume they do not know how to read or think.
Aren't you folks missing the issue here by getting hung up on a few minor details ? The US Navy and Air Force control the world sea and air lanes . The land involvement on the ground in the Middle East is just commodity wars over oil . The US is there to head off Germany,Russia,and China in the pursuit of the crude oil . Not being on the Middle East ground would put the US in the disasterous position whereby the likes of City Girl would not have cheap gas to drive her SUV to the movies .
" A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves."
~Edward R. Murrow
PLus ca change, plus c'est le meme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiWcDt8566g
Vietnam war had a twofold objective . First one was to drain China and retard it's development as a compeitor to the West . Secondly the oil reserves that were thought to be there ,mainly offshore . Tougours la meme chose .
1) The first world trade center bombing occurred in1993 on Clintons watch. He was so busy lying to his wife and country about tapping the fat girl that he ironically rendered himeslf impotent in the war on terrorism which allowed the 9/11 plan to come about. (remember when he bombed the plant in Yemen and they called it " the tail wagging the dog")
2) The administration did let us down but it was because of the lack of communication between the agencies as they protected their slice of power. Regardless of what you think of Cheney he aggressively fixed this serious problem as best he could and that has helped to keep us safe.
3) Valerie Plame was not in hiding and was only outed to her dry cleaner. Everyone else knew. she wasn't James Bond.
4) Her husband was a liberal with an agenda, he did not expose lies; he found out the truth and reported it loudly to embarass the administration. While that is not treason it is not patriotic either.
5) Cheney did noit order Norad to stand down as is repeatedly asserted by the folks who think 9/11 was a government conspiracy. These same folks assert that the buildings were rigged with explosives and that it was all a giant plan cooked up to get back at Saddam Hussein for attmpting to kill George Bush Sr.
6) Haliburton utilized a broken system to make money. No different than the welfare queens.
7) I think Chenys views are a little too cowboy but he at least acknowledges that fact that people are out to get us and when you do nothing bad things happen.
8) Did you notice that President Obama has followed his playbook ? Guantanimo is still open, Bin Laden was killed on the spot and we are using drone strikes inside Pakistan. Is Obama part of the Cheney conspiracy too?
Yawn, yawn, yawn. Another example of Chville's inferiority complex (masked as a superior stance): these ninnies actually think Cheney actually postponed because he was afraid of coming to a liberal town? Don't you think he has been barraged with protests throughout his book tour of the US?
And Swanson, while Norris might climax reading your mail, I hope Longo has better fish to fry and places your letter in the Gordon Gekko Christmas Card file.
Lots of stuff: Your use of the term "idiot" takes the cake. Not sure how we classify idiots...
Bush had higher grades at grad school than Kerry.
Bush never claimed to have invented the Internet (Gore).
Bush never said something as idiotic as: "If you go into a Dunkin' Donuts, you'd better be able to speak Indian." (Biden).
Bush did not say "I did not have sexual with that woman..." (Clinton)
Bush did not have one of his top aides say "He is not the one you want to call at 3am when that red phone rings." (Hildabeast speaking of Obama).
Both sides can go on and on with incidents that challenge the intelligence of a given leader, but it is you lib elites who immediately go to question the intellect of someone, like it is your elitist instinct. Gee, I suppose your college education had nothing to do with that, right?
And Kim L...your usage of French says it all! Tres pathetique!
Yes lets keep the actors in their proper category. The loonie lefties are the idiots and the flakie righties are the morons .
Fact of the matter is: You want to drive your damn SUV as fast as you like. Guys like Cheney will always be there to help you with that.
It's called a faust. (a deal with the devil)
"Were a local resident credibly accused of torture, I sincerely doubt you would hesitate to seek his or her immediate arrest and indictment," wrote Swanson in a letter to Mayor Dave Norris and Police Chief Timothy Longo.
Where has Swanson been? Dave Norris does not believe in enforcing laws. Szakos either. And besides, Cheney didn't torture anybody. Has anybody proven that anybody was tortured by anybody? The commenter was right. Swanson should join Occupy at Lee Park.
KimL- well, sure it happened on their watch, but had been in the planning since 1996. Not to place blame, but whose whatch was that? Clinton had more time to deal with it than Bush/Cheney.
I can't find the link, but the Nat Geo documentary was really eye opening....doesn't place blame, but surely exposes a lot of facts.
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/07/the-original-plans-fo...
Daggonit Bill don't call Monica fat. She was luscious like a Belmont tomato.
Daggonit again Bill if you confuse "Hey Amber you got the welfare money yet to go the sto' get some Cheetos?" with BILLIONS made and untaxed by Haliburton you ain't right n the head son.
cowdog, there are a lot more welfare queens than there are Haliburton employees... Either way we are out billions that nobody wants to do anything about.fixing either...,
President Obama was afraid he'd have to try all the previous administration for conspiring to torture people. Okay--but, according to today's Christian Science Monitor: "On Tuesday, President Álvaro Colom agreed to extradite former President Alfonso Portillo to the United States. The US seeks Mr. Portillo's extradition because it accuses him of having laundered $70 million through US banks."
So we take a back seat to Guatemala in terms of willingness to bring our own officials to face justice? Guatemala?
They sell now at the local Lucky Seven pills advertised as a "male performance enhancer" called (yes) Man Up. Let's all buy some Man Up pills and send them to the White House.
The word "idiot" is used in psychiatry and other services to identify a level of intellect exhibited by a client, patient, whatever. It usually reflects an IQ level within certain parameters. Bush was a prime example of an idiot. Of course that an exaggeration but not by much. He was nothing more than a puppet in the hands of Cheney , Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld. I suspect when Bush was declared the winner in his election bid all three of these guys had orgasms fantasizing about wars to come and profits to be made by DOD contracts. Contracts we're still paying thru the nose for.
He's sick and postponed his visit because of his personal health is my guess. He's had heart problems for over 20 years. But why not create a situation about it....media agenda at its best.
I saw a program on Frontline that gave a pretty good insight of the mechanics of GW Bush decisions regarding Middle East major decisions . Surprisingly the person who was the closest to Bush and the one that pulled the strings was C. Rice . She won all the infighting . She got rid of anyone who was in her way and made herself the Sec of State still running practically everything beyong the US borders and a lot within . She got rid of Rummy ,Powell,and was closer than Cheney to Bush . Her decisions ran deep into the Defense and State depts ..We know she fumbled the ball on the 9/11 intelligence . Without her arragance it would have been prevented...I expect many here know better but Frontline made a compelling case that Condy ran the whole show ....
Staying on topic- Cheney cancelled his vist- who cares?
Now on to all the rest- again the problems surfaced back in the Clinton daze........1993-1996 is where the real timeline resides.
Yes, blame it on Clinton! It's his turn to tell us why his 15 minutes of shame enabled Al Qeada to put together such a simple plan.
Anyone want to take on the facts?
HarryD why don't you open with some facts? I'm very interested to hear your arguments, so go ahead and make some (arguments vs claims, and yes I'm just as guilty of throwing the latter out without substantiation).
After the Gulf War it was common knowledge that the goal of certain factions was to crash a jumbo jet into the World Trade Center . This was well circulated in the Western media . It was also well known what Ben Laden was up to . The morning of 911 i immediately suspected Ben Laden was behind the attack. He obviously took the single jumbo jet idea and expanded on it . There was a video game out with the same objective of crashing a jumbo jet into the WTC . The lessons learned from the hi-jackings to Cuba were long forgotten . There was a major across the board failure to be on the alert for Continental North American attacks .The lapse in security blame covers both parties in the US and other Western Governments .
We want cheap gas and oil for our SUV's Guys like Cheney will always exist.
Faust.
Those cows are far away- fact #1- the planning for the attacks on the US started under Wild Bill Clinton in 1993.
your turn- tell me that it didn't.
Those cows are far away- here ya go........... very chilling and factual
http://natgeotv.com.au/tv/inside-9-11/
I'd like to thank David Swanson for being an annoying nut who ruined the chance for an interesting dialogue with Mr. Cheney.
@HarryD , "the planning for the attacks on the US started under Wild Bill Clinton in 1993"
Your turn again. Explain what that has to do with allegations of war crimes against Dick Cheney.
Cheney needs to stay out of Charlottesville. The sorry thing has no business around normal people. He should be doing life without parole.
I believe right below the surface of the faux patriotism some of you really want our country to fail. I bet some of you secretly cheered when those planes hit the trade center.
Spoiled, whiney, and treasonous. Only in a democracy are you allowed to live.
Be thankful traitors.
discoduck- thank you
cookiejar- you were not part of my discussion with "those cows are far away", but what does your "charge" have to do with the article- he hasn't been charged, never will be charged and shouldn't be charged- so why try to charge him with anything-
I would think that Vice President Cheney would say the following to all of you.......
"I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way"
HarryD can you point to a text reference from a credible source? Not that NatGeo isn't but can't spare the time for a video presentation.
Again the claim: "Yes, blame it on Clinton! It's his turn to tell us why his 15 minutes of shame enabled Al Qeada to put together such a simple plan."
So a few discrete, factual bullet points and credible references to back them up?
Those Cows, Harry seems to be pretty challenged when it comes to dealing with text, so don't hold your breath. He thinks I've charged someone with something and doesn't appear to have understood the title of the article if he even read that much of it.
It is difficult to understand the US federal government system . Out of 300 million people one is elected Head of government and another his deputy.A person is only permitted to serve the max of an eight year sentence as head of government. After the election 299.99 million set about to shoot their leaders or destroy them in any fashion conceivable . If they can't be hounded out of office ,for spite they will be stalked and ridiculed after retiring .It seems to be very common to try to make oneself appear in a better light at the expense of the elected leaders . In Canada the Head of government has been in the position for close to 60 years and is loved and supported by most of the citizens .
What the heck am I reading here? whether or not Clinton was responsible for a CIA breakdown? Paleeeeeeeese, like he or anyone else at the time would even comprehend that kind of act. We didn't, and actually still don't think like that in the west. I'm no Clinton backer, I study human behavior. I'm a confirmed cynic when it comes to mans role in the world but irregardless we in the west are fortunate not to live the lives of those in the middle east, for a myriad of reasons. Most of us can't begin to fathom then allegiances men or forced to make at young ages there. We have no understanding the propaganda that permeates every aspect of a males life in Israel or Iraq. Blame? save that for a congress that appropriates billions of dollars to Israel every year. Follow the money.
I am challenged for sure...........the NatGeo video is very interesting. Take some time and take a look, it is quite good. Better than me explaining it all.
First fact- the planning for the 9/11 attacks took place in 1993.
Fact #2- Clinton was in charge at the time- they have the blue dress to prove it!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!
Late morning thought- why not hold the "planned protests, calls for arrest" anyway?
"Late morning thought- why not hold the "planned protests, calls for arrest" anyway?"
Because today is Friday and most of Acadamialand are not scheduled to 'work'.
Monday (after the Thanksgiving week hiatas) between 10 and 2 is a much better time frame.
In My Time: How I Created a WMD Lie and Fooled the Americans
or maybe
In My Time: How I Became the President Without an Election
"In My Time: How I Created a WMD Lie and Fooled the Americans"
Hands down this is the best grift of our times.
Who convinced the Chinese to loan a liberal democrat 2 trillion dollars AND have them believing they will be paid back?
I didn't think he had it in him. Kudos.
New Title- time to wake up, time to wake up, time to wake up, time to wake up............
you're right there were no WMD's- just piles of dead people, who died from ......oh no.......chemical weapons!
I would think that you and your ilk would not give credit to George Bush for creating and selling a brilliant plan like that!
Wow HarryD. A search for facts can indeed confound one. But clearly that doesn't stop you.
You're officially in the "Have Keyboard and Two Fingers" crowd.
Cheers!
or maybe
In My Time: How I Gave Haliburton a No-bid Contract at America's Expense
or
In My Time: How I Helped Run Up the Deficit
or ---- In My Time: At Politics i royally screwed the country now i am Personally just Dicking around .
Those cows- only one finger...............n!n
NatGeo http://natgeotv.com.au/tv/inside-9-11/
let us know when you have seen it
The old man plays his normal supporters for fools using the most simpleminded playground logic and simultaneiously taunts the rest of us with same. I think he gets off on that depth of power. Others in his league actually look up to him....the undisputed master of liar's. It is uncanny, supernatural, almost.... demonic. Eric Holder and Obama are under his spell.
Nope, not under his spell, under congresses foot. Paralyzed to do anything of value and too chicken to put their faith in the people. Even if Obama wins the next election he will be a useless token.
Courtesy of Harry d-
"First fact- the planning for the 9/11 attacks took place in 1993.
Fact #2- Clinton was in charge at the time- they have the blue dress to prove it!"
I'm still not seeing what that has to do with accusations of war crimes against former Vice-President Cheney. I'm not seeing what it has to do with anything really.
Me neither.................
@ Disco Duck, I did not cheer but I was not suprised, we had it comming.