Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday night at a talk at Colorado Christian University that the United States is vulnerable to an attack today that would be the equivalent of 9/11 or Pearl Harbor.
“I think the threat we have today is higher than it was after 9/11,” Cheney told the audience of about 500 in Lakewood. “You have not only the proliferation of Islamic radicalism and extremists, they’re launching attacks in Europe, attacks in the United States.
“There are no geographical limitations. Anybody who thinks, ‘Gee, we’re safe behind our oceans, and we can turn our backs and be safe,’ forget that. Just ask the folks in San Bernardino.”
He added, “It doesn’t take much if you can get a device on a ship and sail it into New York Harbor or put it in a semi and drive it around the Beltway outside Washington, then all you need is someone willing to set it off and die for Allah, and that’s increasingly popular.”
In the hour-long talk, Cheney blamed President Barack Obama repeatedly for weakening relationships with allies, weakening the military and trusting Iran.
He said the nuclear agreement with Iran will backfire and create a nuclear-arms race in the Middle East.
“Barack Obama, I don’t think, understands,” Che ney said. “I’ve spent hours trying to figure out what makes him tick, but it’s as if he has a world view that’s different from what most of us hold. When facts show that he’s wrong, he ignores the facts.”
Cheney declined to endorse a Republican presidential candidate but said the next commander in chief must be someone who “correctly analyzes and thinks about the world we live in, who earns the support of the American people by his wisdom and thoughtful care and concern for the nation, and is willing to make unbelievably difficult decisions.”
Before the talk, Cheney did an on-air interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, who also interviewed Cheney on stage at Colorado Christian after the show.
Cheney addressed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s statements about blocking Muslims from entering the U.S.
“I think this whole notion that somehow we can just say no more Muslims, just ban a whole religion, goes against everything we stand for and believe in.” Cheney said.
” I mean, religious freedom has been a very important part of our history and where we came from. A lot of people, my ancestors got here, because they were Puritans.”
Cheney was a divisive figure in Washington politics and foreign policy during the eight years of George W. Bush’s administration, leading the charge on controversial policies in the war on terror after 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq.
He previously has maligned Obama’s Middle East policy, accusing the president of weakening U.S. stature in the world and of boosting Iran’s position at the expense of American allies. He has accused Obama of being
Cheney advised four Republican presidents, including Bush.
He was secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush, White House chief of staff for President Gerald Ford and deputy assistant to President Richard Nixon. He spent six terms in the U.S. House, representing Wyoming.
Cheney was in Lakewood promoting his new book which he co-wrote with his daughter Liz Cheney, who was deputy assistant secretary of state under President George W. Bush.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174, jbunch@denverpost.com or @joeybunch
