The former US VP Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was considered arguably the most influential holders of that office in the nation's history. Whereas numerous vice-presidents had to settle for minor or figurehead functions, Cheney exercised substantial power during the term of George W Bush, so much so that he was frequently called as the "actual president".
Bush objected to that description and claimed the connection was more complex. He observed that Cheney was courteous, invariably calling him in official appearances as the President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush challenged even characterisations of their relationship as a partnership because it indicated that they were peers. In spite of these denials, Cheney considered the easygoing president pliable on a broad range of policy decisions.
A Period Following the Attacks
Leading of a contingent of neo-conservatives that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been taking part in a gathering at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the destruction of any non-communicating planes heading toward the government building.
Cheney claimed the assaults altered his perspective, causing him to be focused on retribution. In conjunction 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 armed intervention of Iraq, although there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Controversial Decisions
He voiced no apologies about the invasion, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis perished, or about the harsh treatment of detainees captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on faulty reports circulated by Cheney, was the correct path to take. "It was the proper decision to do back then. I had faith then and I believe it now."
Yet during that period, there were contrary opinions at a high level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the administration's own special envoys to the area, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the position. "I observed, at a minimum," he later wrote "true dereliction, negligence, and recklessness: at worst, falsehoods, unfitness, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not completely to blame for the Iraq military action. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for similar measures. He had drafted a memo detailing situations in which US concerns might be compromised (including "obtaining essential resources, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be prepared to take unilateral action when joint efforts cannot be arranged," particularly citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush too had assumed the Oval Office generally inclined on executing what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. After he had been fired by the administration, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his plan of lowering America's participation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush carried a individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been involved in a scheme to assassinate his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally objected to that one of the biggest establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a likeness of his predecessor's face that all visitors had to walk over.
Interrogation Methods
But it was Cheney who was among the most outspoken supporting invading Iraq, repeatedly quoting information documents that were whether thin or entirely inaccurate. He backed what the Bush administration politely called as "intensive questioning", the employment of waterboarding and harsh treatment.
Responding to a Senate report in 2014 that concluded that no valuable data had come from the harsh techniques, Cheney dismissed the conclusions as "full of crap". He told Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to take steps and create procedures to catch the individuals who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it never happened again. That is precisely what they did and they merit a lot of recognition."
External Perception
Cheney enjoyed monikers given to him by opponents such as Darth Vader and the dark figure, and by the notion that he was a dark force controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Am I the evil genius in the background that remains unseen emerge from his hole? That is a effective way to function, truthfully."
Corporate Connections
Dispute over his corporate affiliations accompanied him during his tenure as VP. Although he had little experience in business but established relationships in security, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil and gas corporations, in 1995 as leader and top executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the White House. Controversially, during the military campaign, Halliburton was given US contracts worth billions.
It made him rich. His annual income during his period at the company increased from his previous salary while defence secretary to millions. When he resigned in 2000 he had a package worth over $20m|twenty
