White House calls out Cheney on criticism

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The White House returned fire Wednesday against Republicans who accused the administration of a weak response to the failed attack on a Detroit-bound plane.

Singling out former Vice President Dick Cheney, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote in a White House blog that Cheney was way off-base claiming that President Barack Obama "needs to realize we are at war. I don't think anyone realizes this very hard reality more than President Obama."

Cheney says Obama's reaction to the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack on Northwest Flight 253 was "low key" and he did not "want to admit we're at war."

"He seems to think if he has a low-key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won't be at war," Cheney said. "He seems to think if we bring the mastermind of 9/11 to New York, give him a lawyer and trial in civilian court, we won't be at war."

"Why doesn't he want to admit we're at war?" Cheney asked.

"It is telling that Vice President Cheney and others seem to be more focused on criticizing the administration than condemning the attackers," Pfeiffer said. "Unfortunately too many are engaged in the typical Washington game of pointing fingers and making political hay, instead of working together to find solutions to make our country safer."

On Tuesday, Obama ordered two reviews -- one on the U.S. terrorist watch list system and the other on air travel screening -- and directed that preliminary findings be delivered to the White House by Thursday.