The late US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who died at age 84, was seen as arguably the most powerful occupants of that position in the nation's history. Although countless VPs were confined to marginal or figurehead functions, Cheney held substantial sway during the term of George W Bush, to the point that he was frequently described as the "true president".
Bush objected to that description and claimed the relationship was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was respectful, invariably addressing him in public as the President, while he called him as Dick. Bush challenged even characterisations of their partnership as a partnership because it indicated that they were equals. Regardless of these objections, Cheney viewed the relaxed president pliable on a whole raft of policy decisions.
The Post-9/11 Era
Leading of a contingent of conservative hawks that featured military head Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been attending a meeting at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush headed for a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took command, commanding the downing of any unidentified planes heading toward the government building.
Cheney stated the attacks changed him, making him become intent on retribution. Together with other neo-cons, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he lobbied for a invasion of Afghanistan in an endeavor to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the invasion of Iraq, although there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein playing a role.
Debated Policies
He expressed no regrets about the invasion, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis died, or about the harsh treatment of individuals 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 course of action. "It was the correct action to do then. I was convinced back then and I maintain that stance now."
Yet during that period, there were opposing views at a senior level about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the White House's own delegates to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not retained from the position. "I observed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, inaction, and unaccountability: potentially, falsehoods, incompetence, and corruption."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not solely accountable for the Iraq campaign. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had pushed for such action. He had drafted a memorandum outlining scenarios in which national priorities might be threatened (encompassing "availability of crucial commodities, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "America should be positioned to take unilateral action when joint efforts prove impossible," specifically mentioning armed actions against Iraq.
Bush additionally had assumed the presidency somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Subsequent to he had been dismissed by the White House, the finance chief Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had declared his intention of lowering America's participation in the regional tensions and proposed armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush bore a private grievance against Saddam, believing he had been involved in a plot to murder his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He also disliked that one of the largest accommodations in Baghdad had a floor mural with a portrait of his predecessor's visage that each person had to walk over.
Interrogation Methods
But it was Cheney who was part of the most vehement supporting attacking Iraq, repeatedly quoting intelligence reports that were whether insubstantial or completely misleading. He supported what the Bush administration indirectly described as "intensive questioning", the use of interrogation method and physical pressure.
Responding to a Senate report in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney dismissed the report as "loaded with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to establish protocols and create initiatives to capture the perpetrators who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it was not repeated. That was specifically what they did and they deserve a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney reveled in nicknames imposed on him by opponents such as Darth Vader and the dark figure, and by the idea that he was a shadow power controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Is it me who is the malevolent mastermind in the shadows that remains unseen come out of his domain? It's a effective way to operate, actually."
Corporate Connections
Debate over his corporate affiliations pursued him throughout his time as second-in-command. While he had minimal expertise in business but good contacts in defence, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's largest petroleum companies, in 1995 as leader and top executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's election partner for the executive branch. Debatably, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was awarded US deals worth substantial sums.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly compensation during his time at the corporation increased from his $258,394 during his time as military head to $4.4m. When he left in 2000 he had a compensation package worth in excess of $20m|twenty
