The late US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who died at age 84, was considered arguably the most influential occupants of that position in the nation's history. Although countless second-in-commands had to settle for peripheral or symbolic positions, Cheney held enormous power during the presidency of George W Bush, so much so that he was often described as the "actual president".
Bush objected to this portrayal and claimed the dynamic was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was courteous, invariably referring to him in official appearances as President, while he called him as Dick. Bush disputed even descriptions of their partnership as a partnership because it indicated that they were peers. Regardless of such protestations, Cheney found the easygoing president pliable on a whole raft of governmental choices.
The Aftermath of 9/11
In charge of a contingent of conservative hawks that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been taking part in a gathering at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, commanding the destruction of any non-communicating planes heading toward the Capitol building.
Cheney said the attacks changed him, making him become focused on retaliation. Along with other neo-cons, like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a takeover of Afghanistan in an endeavor to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the invasion of Iraq, even though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Debated Decisions
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis perished, or about the harsh treatment of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was founded on misleading reports circulated by Cheney, was the right course of action. "It proved to be the correct action to do at that time. I was convinced at the time and I maintain that stance presently."
But even then, there were opposing views at a high level about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the government's own special envoys to the area, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the role. "I observed, at a minimum," he wrote later "obvious failure, carelessness, and irresponsibility: potentially, lying, unfitness, and dishonesty."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not entirely to blame for the Iraq invasion. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for similar measures. He had drafted a memorandum outlining scenarios in which American interests might be threatened (featuring "availability of essential resources, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "America should be postured to act independently when collective action cannot be arranged," particularly citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush too had entered the presidency generally inclined on executing what his father had famously refused to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. After he had been sacked by the president, the finance chief Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of lowering America's participation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush carried a personal grudge against Saddam, convinced he had been involved in a scheme to murder his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He also resented that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a likeness of his father's face that each person had to step on.
Investigation Approaches
But it was Cheney who was among the most outspoken supporting invading Iraq, frequently referencing information documents that were both insubstantial or completely inaccurate. He supported what the Bush government euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the application of interrogation method and torture.
Answering a Senate report in 2014 that concluded that no useful information had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney disregarded the report as "riddled with crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to take steps and put in place initiatives to catch the perpetrators who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it was not repeated. That's exactly what they did and they deserve a lot of credit."
Public Image
Cheney took pleasure in nicknames imposed on him by critics such as Darth Vader and the sinister presence, and by the idea that he was a dark force controlling Bush. In the journalist's 2013 publication about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is reported as stating: "Am I the sinister strategist in the background that remains unseen emerge from his lair? This represents a advantageous way to work, in fact."
Corporate Connections
Debate over his corporate affiliations followed him through his period as vice-president. Although he had limited background in business but established relationships in military, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial oil and gas corporations, in 1995 as chair and chief executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the executive branch. Controversially, during the military campaign, Halliburton was given US contracts valued at multiple billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly earnings during his tenure at the firm increased from his previous salary during his time as defence secretary to $4.4m. When he left in 2000 he had a package valued at over $20m|twenty
