The deceased US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who died at age 84, was seen as one of the most powerful incumbents of that position in American history. Although countless second-in-commands were confined to minor or symbolic roles, Cheney wielded substantial power during the presidency of George W Bush, to the point that he was commonly called as the "real president".
Bush disliked that description and stated the connection was more nuanced. He noted that Cheney was respectful, invariably referring to him in public as the President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their association as a team because it indicated that they were equals. In spite of these denials, Cheney viewed the laidback president pliable on a whole raft of policy decisions.
The Post-9/11 Era
At the head of a faction of conservative hawks that encompassed Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. At the time of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been participating in a session at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, commanding the shooting down of any non-communicating airplanes nearing the Capitol building.
Cheney said the attacks changed him, leading him to become determined on retaliation. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt 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.
Disputed Decisions
He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis died, and not about the waterboarding of suspects captured after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on inaccurate intelligence circulated by Cheney, was the correct path to take. "It represented the proper decision to do then. I was convinced then and I maintain that stance now."
But even then, there were dissenting voices at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the administration's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the role. "I observed, as a baseline," he wrote later "clear negligence, carelessness, and recklessness: at worst, lying, unfitness, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq military action. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for such action. He had drafted a document setting out circumstances in which national priorities might be endangered (encompassing "obtaining essential resources, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the US should be prepared to take unilateral action when joint efforts cannot be orchestrated," particularly referencing defense operations against Iraq.
Bush too had assumed the presidency vaguely intent on carrying out what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. After he had been sacked by the administration, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of diminishing America's participation in the regional tensions and mooted defense operations against Iraq.
Bush carried a individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to assassinate his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore disliked that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a likeness of his predecessor's countenance that all visitors had to step on.
Interrogation Methods
But it was Cheney who was among the most vehement behind attacking Iraq, repeatedly referencing agency briefings that were both insubstantial or entirely inaccurate. He backed what the Bush government politely called as "advanced techniques", the use of simulated drowning and physical pressure.
Addressing a Senate report in 2014 that found that no actionable intelligence had been obtained through the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "full of crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to implement measures and create programmes to capture the perpetrators who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it never happened again. That is precisely what they did and they deserve a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney reveled in monikers assigned to him by detractors such as the Star Wars villain and the sinister presence, and by the idea that he was a sinister influence directing Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 book about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Am I the malevolent mastermind in the shadows that remains unseen emerge from his domain? It's a effective way to operate, in fact."
Commercial Ties
Dispute over his commercial relationships pursued him throughout his time as VP. Although he had little experience in commerce but good contacts in security, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest petroleum companies, in 1995 as chair and CEO.
In 2000 he assumed the role of Bush's running mate for the White House. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was granted US deals valued at billions.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly earnings during his time at the company rose from his previous salary during his time as Pentagon chief to millions. When he departed in 2000 he had a severance arrangement totaling more than $20m|twenty
