The late US vice-president Dick Cheney, who died at age 84, was considered among the most influential occupants of that office in American history. Although many VPs were limited to marginal or symbolic roles, Cheney wielded substantial power during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "actual president".
Bush resented such a characterisation and said the dynamic was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was respectful, always referring to him in public settings as President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush challenged even descriptions of their association as a partnership because it suggested that they were equals. Despite these denials, Cheney found the laidback president pliable on a broad range of policy decisions.
The Aftermath of 9/11
Leading of a faction of conservative hawks that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. At the time of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been taking part in a meeting at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, commanding the destruction of any non-communicating airplanes heading toward the government building.
Cheney said the attacks changed him, leading him to become intent on retaliation. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a invasion of Afghanistan in an attempt to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the military action of Iraq, though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Controversial Decisions
He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the waterboarding of suspects apprehended after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was based on inaccurate intelligence echoed by Cheney, was the proper decision. "It represented the correct action to do then. I was convinced back then and I maintain that stance today."
Yet during that period, there were contrary opinions at a high level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the White House's own representatives to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I saw, at a minimum," he wrote later "obvious failure, negligence, and unaccountability: at worst, deception, ineptitude, and dishonesty."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not completely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for comparable steps. He had composed a memorandum setting out scenarios in which US concerns might be threatened (including "availability of vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be positioned to take unilateral action when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," particularly mentioning military moves against Iraq.
Bush also had arrived in the presidency vaguely intent on executing what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. After he had been fired by the administration, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his objective of diminishing America's engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted military action against Iraq.
Bush held a individual resentment against Saddam, convinced he had been responsible for a scheme to murder his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a ground design with a image of his predecessor's visage that all visitors had to walk over.
Interrogation Methods
However it was Cheney who was among the most vociferous behind striking Iraq, repeatedly quoting information documents that were both weak or totally misleading. He supported what the Bush White House politely called as "intensive questioning", the use of interrogation method and physical pressure.
Answering a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no valuable data had come from the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the findings as "loaded with crap". He told Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to implement measures and put in place programmes to capture the bastards who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it was not repeated. That was specifically what they did and they merit a lot of recognition."
Public Image
Cheney reveled in nicknames given to him by opponents such as the dark character and The Prince of Darkness, and by the idea that he was a shadow power manipulating Bush. In the author's 2013 book about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is reported as stating: "Is it me who is the sinister strategist in the shadows that operates invisibly emerge from his hole? That is a nice way to function, actually."
Business Interests
Controversy over his corporate affiliations accompanied him during his tenure as VP. While he had limited background in business but strong connections in military, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's biggest oil and gas companies, in 1995 as leader and top executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's running mate for the White House. Contentiously, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was awarded US contracts totaling substantial sums.
It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his time at the company rose from his $258,394 during his time as military head to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a severance arrangement worth over $20m|twenty
