The late US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who died at the age of 84, was considered arguably the most significant holders of the vice-presidency in American history. Although many VPs were limited to minor or figurehead roles, Cheney wielded huge power during the term of George W Bush, so much so that he was often referred to as the "real president".
Bush disliked that description and claimed the dynamic was more complex. He noted that Cheney was courteous, always referring to him in public settings as the President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush disputed even descriptions of their partnership as a team because it indicated that they were on equal footing. In spite of such protestations, Cheney found the laidback president accommodating on a wide array of governmental choices.
A Aftermath of 9/11
In charge of a group of neo-conservatives that included military head Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been attending a session at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush headed for a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took charge, directing the destruction of any unidentified aircraft heading toward the government building.
Cheney claimed the strikes transformed him, causing him to be focused on retribution. In conjunction with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a occupation of Afghanistan in an endeavor to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the military action of Iraq, even though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Debated Policies
He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the enhanced interrogation of suspects rounded up after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was predicated on misleading reports circulated by Cheney, was the right decision. "It proved to be the right thing to do at that time. I believed it back then and I believe it presently."
However even at the time, there were dissenting voices at a senior level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the administration's own special envoys to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I observed, as a baseline," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility: in the worst case, lying, unfitness, and graft."
Broader Context
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had written a document outlining scenarios in which American interests might be compromised (encompassing "obtaining vital raw materials, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the United States should be positioned to act independently when cooperative measures prove impossible," particularly mentioning defense operations against Iraq.
Bush also had entered the White House vaguely intent on executing what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Subsequent to he had been sacked by the president, the finance chief Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had declared his objective of diminishing America's participation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and proposed armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush bore a individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to murder his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a portrait of his father's face that all visitors had to walk over.
Interrogation Methods
However it was Cheney who was one of the most outspoken advocating attacking Iraq, frequently quoting agency briefings that were whether weak or totally deceptive. He endorsed what the Bush administration politely called as "enhanced interrogation", the use of simulated drowning and harsh treatment.
Answering a Senate report in 2014 that found that no useful information had come from the interrogation methods, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "loaded with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to take steps and establish programmes to catch the individuals who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it was not repeated. That's exactly what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Persona
Cheney enjoyed labels given to him by critics such as the Star Wars villain and The Prince of Darkness, and by the concept that he was a sinister influence manipulating Bush. In the journalist's 2013 volume about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Do I represent the evil genius in the corner that nobody ever sees leave his lair? This represents a advantageous way to operate, actually."
Business Interests
Controversy over his corporate affiliations accompanied him through his period as VP. While he had little experience in corporate affairs but strong connections in defence, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's biggest petroleum corporations, in 1995 as leader and CEO.
In 2000 he assumed the role of Bush's running mate for the White House. Controversially, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was given US deals valued at substantial sums.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his period at the company rose from his previous salary while military head to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a severance arrangement valued at in excess of $20m|twenty
