Cheney: Osama wants U.S. pullback

WASHINGTON, June 22 (UPI) -- Vice President Dick Cheney suggested Thursday Democrats trying to set a deadline for withdrawal in Iraq are playing into the hands of Osama bin Laden.

In an interview with CNN's John King, Cheney said overall the Bush administration's policy has been successful in Iraq and Afghanistan, freeing almost 50 million people. He said if the United States pulls back, terrorists will simply fill the void.

"Their whole strategy, if you look at what bin Laden's been saying for 10 years, is they believe they can in fact force us to quit, that ultimately we'll get tired of the fight, that we don't have the stomach for a long, tough battle and that we'll pack it in and go home," he said.

Cheney told King he and Bush have one tremendous advantage: They can do what is right without fear of political consequences because neither is running for re-election.

Asked about the case against his former chief of staff, Cheney refused to comment except for calling I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby "one of the finest men I've ever known."