The late US vice-president Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was seen as among the most significant incumbents of that office in American history. Although numerous VPs were limited to minor or symbolic positions, Cheney wielded enormous power during the presidency of George W Bush, so much so that he was commonly described as the "real president".
Bush resented this portrayal and stated the relationship was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, consistently addressing him in public as the President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush disputed even descriptions of their partnership as a collaboration because it suggested that they were equals. Despite these objections, Cheney viewed the easygoing president pliable on a wide array of governmental choices.
The Period Following the Attacks
At the head of a contingent of conservative hawks that encompassed 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 terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been taking part in a gathering at a educational institution in Florida. While Bush traveled to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took command, commanding the downing of any unresponsive aircraft heading toward the Capitol building.
Cheney claimed the strikes altered his perspective, causing him to be focused on retribution. Together with other neo-cons, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the invasion of Iraq, though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Debated Actions
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the waterboarding of individuals rounded up after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on inaccurate information repeated by Cheney, was the proper course of action. "It proved to be the right thing to do then. I had faith then and I hold that view presently."
However even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a senior level about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the administration's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not retained from the position. "I observed, as a baseline," he wrote later "obvious failure, carelessness, and recklessness: potentially, lying, unfitness, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq invasion. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for comparable steps. He had drafted a memorandum setting out scenarios in which American interests might be endangered (featuring "availability of vital raw materials, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be positioned to act independently when collective action cannot be arranged," particularly citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush too had assumed the White House somewhat determined on implementing what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Subsequent to he had been sacked by the administration, the finance chief Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his objective of diminishing America's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggested defense operations against Iraq.
Bush carried a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been behind a scheme to kill his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He also resented that one of the most prominent establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his parent's visage that each person had to step on.
Questioning Techniques
However it was Cheney who was part of the most vociferous advocating striking Iraq, repeatedly referencing agency briefings that were either insubstantial or entirely deceptive. He backed what the Bush government politely called as "enhanced interrogation", the application of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that concluded that no valuable data had been obtained through the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "loaded with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to implement measures and establish programmes to capture the bastards who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it was not repeated. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney enjoyed monikers assigned to him by opponents such as Darth Vader and the sinister presence, and by the idea that he was a sinister influence controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 volume about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Is it me who is the evil genius in the corner that nobody ever sees leave his domain? This represents a nice way to operate, truthfully."
Corporate Connections
Debate over his commercial relationships followed him during his tenure as VP. Although he had limited background in corporate affairs but established relationships in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's largest petroleum companies, in 1995 as leader and CEO.
In 2000 he assumed the role of Bush's running mate for the executive branch. Debatably, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was granted US contracts worth billions.
It made him rich. His yearly compensation during his period at the corporation increased from his previous salary while defence secretary to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a severance arrangement worth in excess of $20m|twenty
