The former US VP Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, was regarded as arguably the most powerful incumbents of the vice-presidency in US history. Whereas countless VPs were confined to peripheral or figurehead positions, Cheney wielded substantial sway during the presidency of George W Bush, so much so that he was often called as the "true president".
Bush disliked such a characterisation and stated the connection was more complex. He noted that Cheney was deferential, invariably calling him in public settings as Mr President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their partnership as a team because it implied that they were peers. In spite of these denials, Cheney found the relaxed president pliable on a whole raft of administrative determinations.
The Aftermath of 9/11
At the head of a faction of neo-conservatives that encompassed military head Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. At the time of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been participating in a session at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, commanding the downing of any unidentified aircraft nearing the US Capitol.
Cheney stated the strikes transformed him, making him become intent on retaliation. Together with other conservative figures, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the armed intervention of Iraq, even though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein playing a role.
Debated Policies
He expressed no regrets about the armed intervention, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, and not about the waterboarding of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was predicated on misleading intelligence echoed by Cheney, was the right decision. "It proved to be the correct action to do then. I was convinced at the time and I hold that view now."
But during that period, there were dissenting voices at a high level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the White House's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the role. "I witnessed, as a baseline," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, negligence, and recklessness: potentially, deception, ineptitude, and dishonesty."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not entirely to blame for the Iraq campaign. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for such action. He had written a memorandum setting out situations in which national priorities might be threatened (including "access to essential resources, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be prepared to act independently when cooperative measures cannot be orchestrated," particularly citing military moves against Iraq.
Bush too had entered the presidency somewhat determined on executing what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; remove Saddam. Following he had been dismissed by the administration, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had declared his objective of reducing America's engagement in the regional tensions and proposed military action against Iraq.
Bush bore a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a plot to murder his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the largest hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a portrait of his parent's countenance that all visitors had to tread upon.
Investigation Approaches
However it was Cheney who was among the most vociferous advocating invading Iraq, repeatedly citing intelligence reports that were both insubstantial or entirely deceptive. He endorsed what the Bush government euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the use of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate analysis in 2014 that determined that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the torture, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "full of crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to implement measures and establish programmes to capture the bastards who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it was not repeated. That was specifically what they did and they earn a lot of credit."
External Perception
Cheney took pleasure in nicknames imposed on him by detractors such as Darth Vader and The Prince of Darkness, and by the idea that he was a sinister influence controlling Bush. In the journalist's 2013 publication about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Do I represent the sinister strategist in the shadows that operates invisibly come out of his domain? That is a advantageous way to function, truthfully."
Business Interests
Controversy over his business interests followed him throughout his time as second-in-command. Even though he had little experience in business but established relationships in military, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of 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. Controversially, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was granted US deals totaling substantial sums.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly earnings during his tenure at the corporation increased from his $258,394 while Pentagon chief to $4.4m. When he departed in 2000 he had a compensation package totaling over $20m|twenty
