Wilkerson: We talked about Cheney’s people like the ‘Nazis’

RawReplay, with video:

In an interview with Russia Today’s Alyona Minkovski on Tuesday night, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson continued his barrage against former Vice President Dick Cheney, who’s been a prominent face in the media lately thanks to his newly published book, “In My Time.”

Wilkerson, formerly chief of staff to Sec. of State Colin Powell during President George W. Bush’s first term, has been outspoken in recent days in his criticism of Cheney, going so far as to tell Democracy Now that he would be prepared to testify, if only someone would “Pinochet” the former vice president.

Speaking to Alyona, Wilkerson revealed that internal discussions within Powell’s office often regarded Cheney and his men the “Nazis” or “Gestappo” within the Bush administration.

“It often went like this: Those Nazis in Vice President Cheney’s office; the Gestapo in Vice President Cheney’s office. That’s kinda the way, by 2003 and 2004, we’d come to look at Scooter Libby and David Addington, including the vice president himself, in that office.”

He also criticized President Barack Obama for failing to pursue charges against Cheney and other Bush-era officials, suggesting that Cheney has repeatedly and openly admitted to “war crimes,” indicating that he fears a potential prosecution.

I'm glad that people higher-higher were talking about them just like we did. I'm not glad they didn't do anything about it. And still are not.

Politics Plus, videos:

The former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell pledged Tuesday to testify against former Vice President Dick Cheney if he is ever tried for war crimes.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson told Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman that he would participate in a trial even if it meant personal repercussions.

I hope you get the chance, Colonel. You probably won't. America protects its war criminals, seems like. Especially if they turned a tidy profit for the M-I-C.

Joining Wilkerson and Goodman to discuss Cheney’s new book "In My Time," Salon’s Glenn Greenwald said that it was disturbing to see the former vice president treated simply as an "elder statesman."

"The evidence is overwhelming… that Dick Cheney is not just a political figure with controversial views, but is an actual criminal, that he was centrally involved in a whole variety not just of war crimes in Iraq, but of domestic crimes, as well, including the authorization of warrantless eavesdropping on American citizens in violation of FISA, which says that you go to jail for five years for each offense, as well as the authorization and implementation of a worldwide torture regime that, according to General Barry McCaffrey, resulted in the murder — his word — of dozens of detainees, far beyond just the three or four cases of waterboarding that media figures typically ask Cheney about," Greenwald explained… [emphasis added]

Cheney isn't looking too good lately. He deserves to die alone in some nice quiet prison. Maybe one grunt when the rope runs out.

Fat fuckin' chance.

Update:

The last sentence of a good piece by Dahlia "Yummy!" Lithwick:

Dick Cheney is living proof that if we are not brave enough to enforce our laws, we will forever be at the mercy of a handful of men.

Yep.