Cheney: History will show Bush created a 'more hopeful world'
 George W. Bush has made the world a more hopeful place.
This from Vice President Dick Cheney, who spoke to a crowd of Oklahoma Republicans Friday evening.
"When the history is written, it will be said this is a safer country and more hopeful world because George Bush was president," Cheney said, according to Oklahoma's Tulsa World.
Of Iraq, Cheney quipped: "Our strategy is the right strategy. The only way we can lose is to quit."
If the US departs, he said, it would show America "doesn't have the stomach for a fight." Cheney himself received five draft deferments to avoid service in the Vietnam war.
To justify a US presence in the wartorn region, Cheney cited the Russian experience in Afghanistan.
"We were engaged in that country, lending support to the mujahadeen against Soviet forces," he said. "Afterwards, everybody walked away and forgot about Afghanistan. What followed was a civil war and the emergence of the Taliban. In 1996, Osama Bin Laden was invited into Afghanistan. He trained thousands of terrorists, some of whom were part of the attacks here on the United States."
He didn't mention the the US pulled out of Afghanistan as well, after the defeat of the Soviets, or that US business, including those in Texas during George W. Bush's term as governor, engaged in business with the Taliban regime.
"His remarks did not cover any new ground," the Tulsa paper noted. "He plugged Oklahoma's Republican congressional delegation and presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain, advocated more oil wells and refineries as the solution to rising gasoline prices and predicted dire economic consequences if current temporary tax cuts and incentives are not made permanent."
Slams Democrats for bill Bush vetoed
Cheney called the Democratic Congress "irresponsible" for allowing domestic surveillance authorization to lapse. Congress actually passed the authorization but President Bush vetoed the bill because it did not include the liability protection for telecommunications companies that the administration wanted.
"Cheney blamed Democrats for blocking domestic oil and gas production, including exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," the paper adds.
He called Democrats in Congress "irresponsible" for allowing the president's warrantless wiretapping program to lapse, but didn't mention that Congress actually passed the bill, containing a provision to block immunity for telecommunications companies that participated.
The economy? Just "a rough patch" which "some in Washington view as an excuse to expand the size and scope of government."
Thirty five protesters gathered a block from the hotel entrance and chanted "impeach Cheney," according to the paper. No one was arrested, though some received citations.
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