The late US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who has died at age 84, was considered arguably the most significant occupants of that office in American history. Although countless vice-presidents were limited to marginal or figurehead positions, Cheney held huge influence during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "real president".
Bush disliked that description and claimed the dynamic was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was deferential, always calling him in public as Mr President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their association as a partnership because it suggested that they were on equal footing. Despite these denials, Cheney viewed the relaxed president pliable on a broad range of administrative determinations.
The Post-9/11 Era
At the head of a faction of conservative hawks that encompassed military head Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the invasion 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 educational institution in Florida. As Bush headed for a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took command, commanding the destruction of any unresponsive planes nearing the US Capitol.
Cheney claimed the strikes changed him, making him become determined on revenge. Along with other conservative figures, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a takeover of Afghanistan in an endeavor to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the armed intervention of Iraq, though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein playing a role.
Disputed Policies
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, nor about the harsh treatment of individuals captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was based on misleading reports circulated by Cheney, was the correct course of action. "It was the correct action to do back then. I was convinced then and I hold that view now."
However during that period, there were dissenting voices at a top tier about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the administration's own special envoys to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the post. "I saw, as a baseline," he wrote later "true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility: potentially, deception, incompetence, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not solely accountable for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for such action. He had written a document detailing circumstances in which US concerns might be endangered (featuring "obtaining vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be postured to take unilateral action when collective action cannot be orchestrated," explicitly mentioning military moves against Iraq.
Bush additionally had assumed the White House somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the White House, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his objective of diminishing America's participation in the regional tensions and suggested defense operations against Iraq.
Bush held a private grievance against Saddam, thinking he had been involved in a conspiracy to assassinate his parent, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He also resented that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a likeness of his parent's face that all visitors had to step on.
Questioning Techniques
However it was Cheney who was part of the most vehement behind invading Iraq, frequently citing intelligence reports that were whether insubstantial or totally deceptive. He supported what the Bush White House euphemistically referred to as "advanced techniques", the application of waterboarding and physical pressure.
Responding to a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had come from the torture, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to establish protocols and establish programmes to catch the perpetrators who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it would not recur. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Persona
Cheney took pleasure in monikers given to him by critics such as the dark character and The Prince of Darkness, and by the concept that he was a sinister influence manipulating Bush. In the author's 2013 volume about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Do I represent the evil genius in the shadows that remains unseen emerge from his domain? This represents a nice way to work, in fact."
Business Interests
Debate over his commercial relationships followed him throughout his time as VP. While he had limited background in business but strong connections in defence, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial energy companies, in 1995 as leader and chief executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's VP candidate for the White House. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was awarded US deals valued at billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his time at the firm rose from his previous salary when he was defence secretary to millions. When he resigned in 2000 he had a package totaling in excess of $20m|twenty
