The former US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who died at the age of 84, was seen as one of the most influential holders of that position in the nation's history. While many VPs were confined to minor or figurehead roles, Cheney wielded huge sway during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "real president".
Bush disliked such a characterisation and claimed the relationship was more complicated. He observed that Cheney was deferential, always referring to him in public settings as the President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their relationship as a team because it indicated that they were equals. Despite these objections, Cheney viewed the laidback president pliable on a broad range of governmental choices.
The Post-9/11 Era
At the head of a faction of neo-conservatives that included military head Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary 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 attack, Bush had been participating in a session at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush headed for a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took charge, directing the destruction of any unresponsive aircraft approaching the Capitol building.
Cheney claimed the strikes changed him, causing him to be focused on retribution. Together with other conservative figures, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a takeover of Afghanistan in an endeavor to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the military action of Iraq, even though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Disputed Actions
He expressed no regrets about the military campaign, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the enhanced interrogation of suspects captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was founded on misleading reports echoed by Cheney, was the correct course of action. "It proved to be the correct action to do back then. I had faith back then and I maintain that stance now."
But even then, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the government's own special envoys to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the position. "I observed, at a minimum," he later wrote "true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility: at worst, falsehoods, ineptitude, and dishonesty."
Broader Context
Cheney was not solely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for such action. He had drafted a memorandum detailing situations in which national priorities might be threatened (including "obtaining vital raw materials, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "America should be postured to operate alone when collective action cannot be orchestrated," particularly referencing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush additionally had entered the presidency somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Subsequent to he had been sacked by the White House, the finance chief Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of lowering America's engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted military action against Iraq.
Bush bore a private grievance against Saddam, thinking he had been responsible for a scheme to assassinate his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore objected to that one of the most prominent accommodations in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a image of his father's visage that each person had to step on.
Questioning Techniques
Yet it was Cheney who was among the most outspoken behind attacking Iraq, repeatedly quoting agency briefings that were either insubstantial or totally deceptive. He endorsed what the Bush White House indirectly described as "enhanced interrogation", the use of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Answering a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the findings as "loaded with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to implement measures and put in place initiatives to catch the perpetrators who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it would not recur. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Persona
Cheney reveled in nicknames imposed on him by opponents such as the dark character and The Prince of Darkness, and by the idea that he was a dark force directing Bush. In the journalist's 2013 book about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Do I represent the evil genius in the background that remains unseen leave his hole? This represents a nice way to operate, actually."
Corporate Connections
Controversy over his business interests accompanied him during his tenure as vice-president. Although he had limited background in commerce but good contacts in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial petroleum companies, in 1995 as chairman and top executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Debatably, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was granted US contracts valued at billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his period at the company rose from his quarter-million dollars during his time as Pentagon chief to millions. When he left in 2000 he had a package worth in excess of $20m|twenty
