The late US VP Dick Cheney, who passed away at the age of 84, was seen as among the most powerful incumbents of that position in US history. Although numerous second-in-commands had to settle for marginal or symbolic roles, Cheney wielded huge power during the administration of George W Bush, so much so that he was often referred to as the "real president".
Bush resented this portrayal and claimed the connection was more nuanced. He observed that Cheney was courteous, invariably referring to him in public as the President, while he called him as Dick. Bush disputed even characterisations of their relationship as a team because it indicated that they were on equal footing. Despite these denials, Cheney found the relaxed president accommodating on a broad range of administrative determinations.
A Period Following the Attacks
In charge of a faction of neo-conservatives that included military head Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been attending a session at a school in Florida. While Bush traveled to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the downing of any non-communicating airplanes heading toward the government building.
Cheney said the assaults altered his perspective, making him become focused on retaliation. Together with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a takeover of Afghanistan in an attempt to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the invasion of Iraq, although there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Disputed Decisions
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis perished, nor about the waterboarding of individuals rounded up after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was predicated on faulty information circulated by Cheney, was the proper decision. "It proved to be the proper decision to do then. I was convinced at the time and I believe it now."
But even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the White House's own special envoys to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the role. "I observed, at a minimum," he later wrote "true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility: at worst, falsehoods, unfitness, and dishonesty."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not completely accountable for the Iraq campaign. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had drafted a document detailing situations in which US concerns might be endangered (including "availability of essential resources, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be prepared to act independently when collective action cannot be arranged," particularly citing military moves against Iraq.
Bush too had entered the presidency somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; remove Saddam. Following he had been fired by the White House, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had declared his intention of diminishing America's participation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted defense operations against Iraq.
Bush carried a individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a scheme to murder his father, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the most prominent establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a portrait of his parent's face that all visitors had to tread upon.
Interrogation Methods
But it was Cheney who was one of the most outspoken behind invading Iraq, frequently referencing agency briefings that were whether thin or completely inaccurate. He backed what the Bush government indirectly described as "intensive questioning", the use of waterboarding and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that determined that no actionable intelligence had been obtained through the torture, Cheney rejected the findings as "full of crap". He stated to Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to implement measures and put in place procedures to capture the bastards who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it was not repeated. That is precisely what they did and they deserve a lot of recognition."
Public Persona
Cheney enjoyed labels given to him by detractors such as the Star Wars villain and the sinister presence, and by the notion that he was a dark force controlling Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 book about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is reported as stating: "Do I represent the malevolent mastermind in the background that nobody ever sees come out of his domain? That is a advantageous way to operate, actually."
Commercial Ties
Dispute over his corporate affiliations pursued him during his tenure as second-in-command. Even though he had little experience in business but good contacts in defence, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial oil and gas companies, in 1995 as chair and CEO.
In 2000 he became Bush's running mate for the executive branch. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was awarded US deals worth substantial sums.
It made him rich. His yearly compensation during his time at the firm grew from his previous salary when he was Pentagon chief to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a compensation package totaling in excess of $20m|twenty
