The former US VP Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was regarded as arguably the most significant incumbents of that office in the nation's history. Although countless second-in-commands were confined to minor or figurehead positions, Cheney exercised huge influence during the term of George W Bush, so much so that he was often referred to as the "real president".
Bush resented that description and stated the connection was more nuanced. He noted that Cheney was respectful, consistently addressing him in public as President, while he called him as Dick. Bush challenged even portrayals of their relationship as a collaboration because it suggested that they were equals. Despite these objections, Cheney considered the laidback president malleable on a whole raft of policy decisions.
The Period Following the Attacks
Leading of a faction of neo-conservatives that featured Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been participating in a session at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took charge, directing the downing of any unresponsive aircraft nearing the government building.
Cheney said the attacks transformed him, causing him to be focused on retribution. Together with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the armed intervention of Iraq, even though there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Debated Actions
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the harsh treatment of suspects apprehended after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was based on inaccurate reports repeated by Cheney, was the right path to take. "It proved to be the proper decision to do back then. I had faith at the time and I hold that view now."
However even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the poor management of Iraq. One of the administration's own representatives to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the post. "I saw, at the very least," he wrote later "obvious failure, inaction, and unaccountability: in the worst case, lying, unfitness, and corruption."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not entirely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for similar measures. He had composed a memorandum setting out situations in which US concerns might be threatened (including "obtaining crucial commodities, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the United States should be prepared to take unilateral action when collective action cannot be orchestrated," particularly mentioning armed actions against Iraq.
Bush too had entered the White House somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; remove Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the administration, the finance chief Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his objective of lowering America's involvement in the Middle East dispute and proposed armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush held a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been behind a conspiracy to assassinate his parent, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the largest hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a image of his father's face that everyone had to tread upon.
Investigation Approaches
However it was Cheney who was part of the most outspoken advocating invading Iraq, consistently citing intelligence reports that were whether insubstantial or totally misleading. He endorsed what the Bush government indirectly described as "intensive questioning", the use of simulated drowning and physical pressure.
Responding to a Senate analysis in 2014 that determined that no actionable intelligence had come from the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the findings as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to implement measures and create initiatives to capture the individuals who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it never happened again. That was specifically what they did and they merit a lot of praise."
External Perception
Cheney enjoyed nicknames imposed on him by detractors such as the Star Wars villain and the dark figure, and by the notion that he was a sinister influence directing Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 publication about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is reported as stating: "Is it me who is the evil genius in the background that operates invisibly emerge from his domain? This represents a effective way to work, actually."
Business Interests
Dispute over his business interests accompanied him during his tenure as vice-president. Although he had limited background in corporate affairs but strong connections in military, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of Halliburton, one of the world's biggest energy conglomerates, in 1995 as chair and top executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's election partner for the presidency. Debatably, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was given US contracts worth multiple billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his period at the company grew from his quarter-million dollars during his time as defence secretary to over four million. When he departed in 2000 he had a package worth in excess of $20m|twenty
