The former US vice-president Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, was regarded as among the most powerful occupants of that position in the nation's history. While countless second-in-commands were limited to marginal or ceremonial functions, Cheney exercised enormous influence during the administration of George W Bush, to the point that he was commonly referred to as the "true president".
Bush disliked this portrayal and said the connection was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, invariably referring to him in public settings as President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush disputed even characterisations of their association as a partnership because it indicated that they were on equal footing. Despite such protestations, Cheney found the laidback president accommodating on a whole raft of policy decisions.
The Aftermath of 9/11
At the head of a faction of neo-conservatives that featured military head Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been participating in a session at a school in Florida. While Bush traveled to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the shooting down of any non-communicating aircraft approaching the US Capitol.
Cheney claimed the attacks changed him, leading him to become determined on retribution. Along with other conservative figures, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a invasion of Afghanistan in an effort to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the invasion of Iraq, though there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein playing a role.
Debated Policies
He showed no remorse about the invasion, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis perished, and not about the harsh treatment of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was founded on inaccurate information circulated by Cheney, was the right decision. "It was the correct action to do at that time. I was convinced then and I hold that view now."
However even then, there were opposing views at a senior level about the botched execution 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, as a baseline," he later wrote "obvious failure, negligence, and irresponsibility: potentially, lying, incompetence, and dishonesty."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not entirely accountable for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had written a memorandum setting out scenarios in which national priorities might be threatened (encompassing "access to vital raw materials, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "America should be positioned to operate alone when joint efforts cannot be orchestrated," specifically referencing military moves against Iraq.
Bush also had assumed the Oval Office somewhat determined on carrying out what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; remove Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the administration, the finance chief Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his objective of reducing America's engagement in the regional tensions and suggested defense operations against Iraq.
Bush held a private grievance against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to assassinate his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the most prominent establishments in Baghdad had a ground design with a image of his father's face that everyone had to step on.
Investigation Approaches
However it was Cheney who was one of the most vehement supporting striking Iraq, consistently citing intelligence reports that were both weak or entirely misleading. He supported what the Bush White House euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the application of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that found that no actionable intelligence had come from the harsh techniques, Cheney disregarded the conclusions as "riddled with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to establish protocols and establish procedures to apprehend 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 deserve a lot of recognition."
Public Persona
Cheney reveled in labels given to him by detractors such as the dark character and the sinister presence, and by the notion that he was a sinister influence manipulating Bush. In the journalist's 2013 volume about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Is it me who is the evil genius in the background that operates invisibly leave his hole? It's a nice way to function, truthfully."
Corporate Connections
Dispute over his commercial relationships accompanied him throughout his time as vice-president. Although he had minimal expertise in business but strong connections in security, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's largest petroleum companies, in 1995 as chairman and top executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's election partner for the presidency. Debatably, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was given US agreements valued at billions.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly earnings during his period at the company rose from his previous salary while military head to $4.4m. When he departed in 2000 he had a severance arrangement valued at over $20m|twenty
