Change Watch: ...plus c'est le même chose

Who made the following statement in response to criticism of U.S. counter-terrorism policies?:

“Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda.”

a. John Yoo, assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel during the George W. Bush Administration
b. Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States under George W. Bush
c. John Brennan, Barack Obama's Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Answer: c.

Admit it. You're not surprised. With Bush-era policies that undermine civil rights and civil liberties continuing unchallenged and unabated by the administration of Barack Obama, it is hardly surprising to hear the president's minions repeating the same tired rationalizations employed by their discredited predecessors.

In an op-ed in USA Today today, 'We need no lectures': Administration disrupts terrorists’ plots, takes fight to them abroad, Brennan -- sounding like he's channeling Dick Cheney -- writes that politics "should never get in the way of national security. But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe." This is the security state at its most transparent. No debate. No consideration by the citizenry of tactics, strategies, morality, common sense. Just shut up and do what we say. We need no lectures, indeed.

More: Obama's embrace of Bush terrorism policies is celebrated as "Centrism" by Glenn Greenwald (Salon 2009-05-15)