The former US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was regarded as among the most powerful holders of that office in the nation's history. Whereas numerous second-in-commands were limited to minor or symbolic functions, Cheney wielded enormous power during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "real president".
Bush resented that description and stated the dynamic was more complex. He observed that Cheney was deferential, always addressing him in official appearances as the President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush disputed even portrayals of their association as a partnership because it implied that they were on equal footing. Regardless of these objections, Cheney considered the relaxed president pliable on a whole raft of policy decisions.
A Period Following the Attacks
Leading of a contingent of neo-cons that included Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been attending a gathering at a elementary school in Florida. As Bush made his way to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the downing of any unresponsive airplanes nearing the Capitol building.
Cheney stated the attacks transformed him, leading him to become focused on retaliation. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a takeover of Afghanistan in an effort to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the armed intervention of Iraq, even though there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Controversial Actions
He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, nor about the waterboarding of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He told CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was based on inaccurate intelligence circulated by Cheney, was the proper course of action. "It was the right thing to do then. I had faith at the time and I believe it presently."
But even at the time, there were dissenting voices at a top tier about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the White House's own delegates to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not retained from the post. "I saw, as a baseline," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, carelessness, and unaccountability: at worst, lying, unfitness, and corruption."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq military action. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had composed a memorandum detailing circumstances in which American interests might be compromised (encompassing "obtaining essential resources, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "America should be postured to act independently when joint efforts prove impossible," specifically mentioning military moves against Iraq.
Bush also had arrived in the White House 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 administration, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his plan of reducing America's participation in the regional tensions and proposed armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush carried a private grievance against Saddam, convinced he had been behind a plot to assassinate his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the largest hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a portrait of his predecessor's countenance that all visitors had to walk over.
Questioning Techniques
But it was Cheney who was one of the most outspoken supporting striking Iraq, consistently referencing intelligence reports that were either thin or completely misleading. He endorsed what the Bush administration euphemistically referred to as "advanced techniques", the application of interrogation method and torture.
Answering a Senate analysis in 2014 that found that no actionable intelligence had been obtained through the harsh techniques, Cheney disregarded the findings as "riddled with crap". He informed Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to establish protocols and establish procedures to catch the bastards who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it never happened again. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of recognition."
Public Persona
Cheney took pleasure in labels imposed on him by critics such as the Star Wars villain and the dark figure, and by the concept that he was a sinister influence manipulating Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 volume about the pair, 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 background that nobody ever sees come out of his hole? That is a effective way to function, actually."
Corporate Connections
Controversy over his business interests pursued him throughout his time as VP. Even though he had minimal expertise in commerce but strong connections in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy conglomerates, in 1995 as leader and chief executive.
In 2000 he assumed the role of Bush's election partner for the White House. Controversially, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was given US agreements valued at multiple billions.
It made him rich. His yearly earnings during his time at the company rose from his $258,394 while Pentagon chief to over four million. When he resigned in 2000 he had a compensation package worth more than $20m|twenty
