Conflict and instability in the Middle East along with the threat of a nuclear Iran has created a world that is more dangerous than any period before September 11th, said former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Cheney made the comments during an extensive and wide-ranging interview with Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, during which the two also discussed Cheney's time as Secretary of Defense, the Gulf War, the September 11th terrorist attacks, and today's international conflicts.
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"We're in a very dangerous period and I think it's more threatening than the period before 9/11," Cheney said. "I think 9/11 will turn out to be not nearly as bad as the next mass casualty attack against the United States — which, if and when it comes, will be with something far deadlier than [with] airline tickets and box cutters."
Cheney also defended the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the Bush administration on terrorist suspects. He also stood behind the controversial surveillance program run by the National Security Agency, mentioning that congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle privately signed off on the programs.
Since August, Cheney has been vocal about the need for the United States to strongly face down the Islamic State (ISIS), warning that failure to do so would result in
an attack far worse than September 11th.
He also
spent time last month on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on the crisis, and has been critical of President Barack Obama for not taking the group seriously as early as he should have, and
refusing to take good military advice for his strategy in Iraq and Syria.