Obama, Cheney Ready Dueling Gitmo Speeches

In what’s becoming a much-hyped political showdown, Barack Obama and Dick Cheney will deliver back-to-back speeches on national security this morning, CNN reports. Obama’s 10am speech will lay out a framework for closing Guantanamo Bay, offering a high-minded defense of his decisions so far regarding it and its detainees. He'll argue that America "lost its way" in fighting terrorism, and that Guantanamo has made us less safe.

Cheney, speaking at 10:45 before the American Enterprise Institute, will offer a counterargument. "When President Obama makes wise decisions, he deserves our support," he will say. "And when he mischaracterizes the national security decisions we made in the Bush years, he deserves an answer." Cheney will repeat his argument that the Bush administration's controversial policies prevented another 9/11.
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