The former US VP Dick Cheney, who died at age 84, was considered arguably the most influential holders of that position in the nation's history. Although numerous second-in-commands were confined to minor or ceremonial roles, Cheney held substantial influence during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "actual president".
Bush disliked this portrayal and stated the dynamic was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was courteous, always addressing him in public settings as the President, while he called him as Dick. Bush questioned even characterisations of their association as a collaboration because it indicated that they were on equal footing. Despite such protestations, Cheney viewed the laidback president pliable on a broad range of governmental choices.
A Aftermath of 9/11
Leading of a group of neo-conservatives that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been taking part in a session at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush traveled to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney took command, commanding the shooting down of any unresponsive airplanes nearing the Capitol building.
Cheney stated the assaults altered his perspective, making him become intent on retaliation. Together with other neo-cons, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a takeover of Afghanistan in an effort to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then pressed fiercely for the military action of Iraq, although there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Debated Decisions
He showed no remorse about the military campaign, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis died, nor about the harsh treatment of individuals rounded up after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was based on misleading information echoed by Cheney, was the correct decision. "It proved to be the proper decision to do at that time. I had faith then and I believe it now."
However during that period, there were contrary opinions at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the government's own representatives to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not retained from the role. "I observed, at the very least," he later wrote "obvious failure, inaction, and recklessness: potentially, falsehoods, incompetence, and corruption."
Broader Context
Cheney was not entirely responsible for the Iraq campaign. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had pushed for such action. He had drafted a memo outlining situations in which US concerns might be compromised (featuring "availability of vital raw materials, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the United States should be positioned to operate alone when collective action cannot be orchestrated," specifically citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush additionally had entered the presidency somewhat determined on executing what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Subsequent to he had been sacked by the White House, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his objective of reducing America's involvement in the Middle East dispute and mooted armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush carried a individual resentment against Saddam, thinking he had been responsible for a scheme to assassinate his father, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the most prominent accommodations in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a image of his father's face that all visitors had to step on.
Interrogation Methods
But it was Cheney who was part of the most vehement supporting striking Iraq, frequently quoting information documents that were either weak or completely inaccurate. He endorsed what the Bush administration euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the employment of interrogation method and torture.
Responding to a Senate document in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the interrogation methods, Cheney disregarded the findings as "riddled with crap". He informed Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to establish protocols and put in place initiatives to capture the individuals who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it never happened again. That's exactly what they did and they deserve a lot of recognition."
Public Image
Cheney enjoyed nicknames assigned to him by opponents such as the dark character and the dark figure, and by the concept that he was a shadow power controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 book about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Is it me who is the sinister strategist in the corner that nobody ever sees come out of his hole? This represents a effective way to work, in fact."
Business Interests
Controversy over his commercial relationships followed him through his period as second-in-command. Although he had little experience in business but good contacts in security, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil and gas corporations, in 1995 as chairman and chief executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's election partner for the executive branch. Controversially, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was given US agreements valued at substantial sums.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his period at the firm increased from his $258,394 during his time as military head to millions. When he resigned in 2000 he had a package totaling over $20m|twenty
