The late US vice-president Dick Cheney, who has died at age 84, was regarded as among the most significant incumbents of that position in US history. Although numerous vice-presidents were confined to peripheral or symbolic roles, Cheney wielded huge influence during the administration of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "actual president".
Bush resented that description and stated the relationship was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, consistently referring to him in official appearances as Mr President, while he called him as Dick. Bush disputed even characterisations of their partnership as a partnership because it suggested that they were on equal footing. Despite such protestations, Cheney considered the laidback president accommodating on a wide array of administrative determinations.
The Aftermath of 9/11
In charge of a group of neo-conservatives that featured military head Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been participating in a meeting at a school in Florida. While Bush traveled to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the destruction of any unresponsive airplanes heading toward the government building.
Cheney claimed the attacks altered his perspective, causing him to be determined on retaliation. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the military action of Iraq, even though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Disputed Policies
He voiced no apologies about the invasion, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis died, nor about the harsh treatment of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He told CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on faulty reports circulated by Cheney, was the proper course of action. "It proved to be the correct action to do then. I believed it back then and I maintain that stance now."
Yet during that period, there were dissenting voices at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the White House's own delegates to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the role. "I observed, as a baseline," he later wrote "obvious failure, inaction, and irresponsibility: at worst, falsehoods, incompetence, and corruption."
Broader Context
Cheney was not completely to blame for the Iraq campaign. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had drafted a document outlining scenarios in which US concerns might be compromised (encompassing "availability of crucial commodities, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the United States should be positioned to operate alone when collective action cannot be arranged," particularly referencing military moves against Iraq.
Bush also had entered the Oval Office somewhat determined on executing what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Following he had been fired by the White House, the finance chief Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of lowering America's engagement in the regional tensions and mooted military action against Iraq.
Bush bore a individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to kill his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore disliked that one of the biggest establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a likeness of his parent's countenance that everyone had to walk over.
Interrogation Methods
Yet it was Cheney who was part of the most vehement advocating striking Iraq, frequently citing information documents that were whether weak or totally misleading. He backed what the Bush administration euphemistically referred to as "advanced techniques", the employment of simulated drowning and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate report in 2014 that found that no actionable intelligence had been obtained through the interrogation methods, Cheney disregarded the report as "loaded with crap". He told Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to take steps and put in place initiatives to catch the perpetrators who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it was not repeated. That's exactly what they did and they deserve a lot of praise."
External Perception
Cheney enjoyed monikers given to him by critics such as the dark character and the dark figure, and by the concept that he was a sinister influence manipulating Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 book about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Do I represent the evil genius in the background that remains unseen emerge from his hole? It's a nice way to work, truthfully."
Commercial Ties
Dispute over his business interests followed him throughout his time as second-in-command. While he had limited background in corporate affairs but established relationships in security, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial energy companies, in 1995 as leader and top executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was given US agreements worth billions.
It significantly boosted his finances. His annual income during his time at the company increased from his $258,394 while defence secretary to millions. When he left in 2000 he had a package worth more than $20m|twenty
