The late US vice-president Dick Cheney, who has died at age 84, was regarded as arguably the most significant incumbents of the vice-presidency in the nation's history. While countless vice-presidents were confined to peripheral or figurehead functions, Cheney wielded substantial influence during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was frequently referred to as the "real president".
Bush resented that description and claimed the relationship was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, invariably referring to him in public settings as President, while he called him as Dick. Bush challenged even portrayals of their partnership as a collaboration because it implied that they were equals. In spite of these denials, Cheney considered the relaxed president malleable on a broad range of administrative determinations.
The Period Following the Attacks
Leading of a faction of conservative hawks that included Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in response to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been attending a gathering at a school in Florida. As Bush headed for a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the downing of any non-communicating aircraft nearing the US Capitol.
Cheney claimed the attacks transformed him, causing him to be determined on retaliation. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a invasion of Afghanistan in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the invasion of Iraq, although there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Debated Policies
He expressed no regrets about the armed intervention, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, nor about the harsh treatment of suspects rounded up after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on inaccurate information circulated by Cheney, was the right course of action. "It proved to be the correct action to do then. I believed it back then and I maintain that stance today."
Yet during that period, there were contrary opinions at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the administration's own delegates to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the post. "I witnessed, as a baseline," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, inaction, and recklessness: potentially, deception, ineptitude, and corruption."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not solely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Before 9/11, Wolfowitz had pushed for such action. He had written a memorandum setting out circumstances in which US concerns might be endangered (featuring "availability of vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be prepared to take unilateral action when joint efforts cannot be arranged," explicitly referencing defense operations against Iraq.
Bush too had arrived in the White House somewhat determined on executing what his predecessor had notably declined to do in 1991; remove Saddam. Subsequent to he had been dismissed by the White House, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his intention of diminishing America's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and proposed military action against Iraq.
Bush carried a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to kill his parent, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his father's face that each person had to walk over.
Investigation Approaches
But it was Cheney who was among the most outspoken behind striking Iraq, repeatedly quoting intelligence reports that were either weak or completely misleading. He supported what the Bush government indirectly described as "enhanced interrogation", the use of waterboarding and torture.
Addressing a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no valuable data had been obtained through the interrogation methods, Cheney disregarded the findings as "loaded with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to establish protocols and put in place initiatives to catch the individuals who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it was not repeated. That is precisely what they did and they merit a lot of credit."
Public Image
Cheney enjoyed monikers assigned to him by critics such as the Star Wars villain and the sinister presence, and by the idea that he was a shadow power directing Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Is it me who is the malevolent mastermind in the corner that remains unseen emerge from his hole? That is a nice way to function, truthfully."
Commercial Ties
Controversy over his commercial relationships followed him through his period as VP. While he had limited background in corporate affairs but strong connections in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's biggest energy conglomerates, in 1995 as chair and chief executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's VP candidate for the White House. Debatably, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was given US contracts totaling billions.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly earnings during his period at the company grew from his $258,394 when he was Pentagon chief to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a compensation package valued at over $20m|twenty
