Liz Cheney criticized President Obama's foreign and domestic policies last night, saying that the United States needs a strong commander in chief, not a "global community organizer" who cannot decide whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.
"Diplomacy is not about appeasing our enemies," Cheney said. "Wise men don't ignore a war against the United States and hope they can handle it in the court system."
Cheney, a lawyer and former State Department official, is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Some conservatives consider her a rising star in the Republican Party.
She spoke at the Embassy Suites hotel to about 160 members of the N.C. Federation of Republican Women, a group comprised of Republican women in 60 clubs around the states.
The organization, which has more than 2,200 members, is involved in political campaigns and recruits Republican candidates.
Cheney, 43, a former deputy assistant secretary of state on Middle East affairs, recently started a new advocacy group in Washington called "Keep America Safe." It is designed to provide information about national security issues.
She is working with father on his memoirs that will focus on his 40-year career in Washington. After her speech, she said she had no immediate plans to run for public office.
During her 20-minute speech, Cheney attacked Obama for not deciding to send additional troops to Afghanistan even though the Army commander has made the request.
"President Obama has been unable to make tough decisions when the success of our troops in battle depends on it," Cheney said.
America's allies in Afghanistan cannot depend on the Obama administration and the Afghan people are uncertain whether the United States will win the war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, she said.
She also attacked Obama's position on closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, moving the suspected terrorists to American prisons and conducting trials for them in civilian courts. That policy will eventually allow some terrorists to be released on U.S. soil, Cheney said.
Cheney also criticized Obama and House Democrats for the health-care reform bill that she said will raise taxes, pay for health insurance for illegal immigrants, pay for abortions, cut Medicare and Medicaid and cost over a trillion dollars.
She said that conservative and moderate Democrats will pay a price at the polls in 2010 if they allow House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Obama to pressure them in supporting the health-care reform bill.
The Republican victories in the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey demonstrate that the Republican Party and conservatives can win more elections next year, Cheney said.
jhinton@wsjournal.com | 727-7299
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