The former US VP Dick Cheney, who passed away at the age of 84, was considered one of the most significant incumbents of that office in the nation's history. Although numerous second-in-commands were limited to peripheral or symbolic positions, Cheney exercised substantial power during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was frequently referred to as the "true president".
Bush disliked this portrayal and claimed the dynamic was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, invariably calling him in official appearances as 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 these objections, Cheney considered the laidback president malleable on a broad range of governmental choices.
A Aftermath of 9/11
Leading of a group of neo-cons that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been taking part in a gathering at a educational institution in Florida. As Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the downing of any unresponsive airplanes approaching the US Capitol.
Cheney said the strikes transformed him, causing him to be intent on retribution. Together with other conservative figures, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a invasion of Afghanistan in an attempt to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the invasion of Iraq, although there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Debated Decisions
He showed no remorse about the invasion, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis perished, or about the waterboarding of individuals rounded up after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was based on inaccurate information repeated by Cheney, was the right path to take. "It proved to be the proper decision to do at that time. I believed it back then and I believe it today."
But even at the time, there were dissenting voices at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the White House's own representatives to the area, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the post. "I observed, at a minimum," he subsequently stated "clear negligence, negligence, and recklessness: potentially, lying, incompetence, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not completely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had composed a document setting out scenarios in which national priorities might be threatened (featuring "availability of crucial commodities, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "America should be positioned to take unilateral action when cooperative measures prove impossible," particularly mentioning military moves against Iraq.
Bush additionally had entered the White House vaguely intent on carrying out what his father had famously refused to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Following he had been fired by the administration, the finance chief Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his intention of lowering America's involvement in the regional tensions and proposed military action against Iraq.
Bush held a private grievance against Saddam, believing he had been involved in a plot to kill his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the biggest hotels in Baghdad had a ground design with a image of his parent's visage that everyone had to tread upon.
Interrogation Methods
However it was Cheney who was among the most vociferous advocating striking Iraq, frequently referencing agency briefings that were both weak or completely inaccurate. He backed what the Bush administration indirectly described as "advanced techniques", the use of interrogation method and physical pressure.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the report as "riddled with crap". He told Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to take steps and establish initiatives to catch the bastards who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it would not recur. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney enjoyed nicknames assigned to him by critics such as Darth Vader and The Prince of Darkness, and by the idea that he was a dark force 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 background that nobody ever sees emerge from his domain? That is a effective way to work, truthfully."
Commercial Ties
Dispute over his commercial relationships followed him through his period as second-in-command. While he had little experience in business but strong connections in defence, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial petroleum conglomerates, in 1995 as chair and CEO.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Contentiously, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was given US contracts totaling billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his time at the corporation rose from his $258,394 during his time as military head to $4.4m. When he departed in 2000 he had a severance arrangement valued at more than $20m|twenty
