George W. Bush swipes at Obama administration

"Government does not create wealth. The major role for the government is to create an environment where people take risks to expand the job rate in the United States."

Former President George W. Bush (who received huge cheers)
June 17, 2009 in Erie, PA

Former President George W. Bush addressed a group of business people in Erie, PA, on Wednesday, and he actually took a swipe at the Obama administration. It's about time ... Barack Obama has been placing blame on the Bush administration for months.

President Bush laid it on the line:

Mr. Bush weighed in on some of the most pressing issues of the day: the election in Iran, the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, and his administration's interrogation policies of terrorists held there and elsewhere. The former president has not commented on Mr. Obama's decision to ban "enhanced interrogation techniques" such as waterboarding, which the current president has called "off course" and "based on fear."

"The way I decided to address the problem was twofold: One, use every technique and tool within the law to bring terrorists to justice before they strike again," he said, adding that the country needs to stay on offense, not defense. On Guantanamo, which while in office Mr. Bush said he wanted to close, the former president was diplomatic.

"I told you I'm not going to criticize my successor," he said. "I'll just tell you that there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at a drop of a hat and I don't believe that -- persuasion isn't going to work. Therapy isn't going to cause terrorists to change their mind."

Word has just been received that Rep. Tom Perrillo (VA 5th CD) just voted with Speaker Pelosi on an amendment to allow for funds to close the Guantanamo Bay facility and move those detainees to Virginia. Perrillo voted against an amendment, offered by Rep. Lewis of California, that would have prohibited the closure. The amendment failed 212-213 with Mr. Perrillo casting the deciding vote.

In the words of George W. Bush, "... there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at the drop of a hat ..."

H/T JR at Bearing Drift