The deceased US vice-president Dick Cheney, who has died at age 84, was regarded as one of the most powerful incumbents of that office in the nation's history. Whereas many vice-presidents were confined to marginal or ceremonial roles, Cheney wielded huge power during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly referred to as the "actual president".
Bush objected to this portrayal and said the connection was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was courteous, invariably referring to him in official appearances as President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush questioned even characterisations of their partnership as a team because it implied that they were on equal footing. In spite of these denials, Cheney found the easygoing president malleable on a whole raft of administrative determinations.
The Aftermath of 9/11
At the head of a group of neo-conservatives that encompassed Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been taking part in a meeting at a elementary school in Florida. While Bush made his way to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the downing of any unidentified aircraft approaching the US Capitol.
Cheney stated the attacks changed him, making him become intent on retaliation. Along with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a occupation of Afghanistan in an attempt to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then pressed fiercely for the armed intervention of Iraq, although there was little proof of Saddam Hussein being involved.
Debated Actions
He showed no remorse about the invasion, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis died, and not about the waterboarding of detainees apprehended after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was predicated on misleading intelligence circulated by Cheney, was the right path to take. "It proved to be the proper decision to do at that time. I was convinced back then and I believe it presently."
Yet even at the time, there were opposing views at a top tier about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the administration's own special envoys to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the position. "I observed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, inaction, and recklessness: in the worst case, falsehoods, ineptitude, and corruption."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not completely accountable for the Iraq military action. Before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for comparable steps. He had written a memorandum setting out scenarios in which American interests might be endangered (including "availability of crucial commodities, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the US should be positioned to operate alone when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," specifically citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush too had assumed the presidency somewhat determined on implementing what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; remove Saddam. Subsequent to he had been dismissed by the administration, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of diminishing America's engagement in the regional tensions and mooted military action against Iraq.
Bush bore a individual resentment against Saddam, convinced he had been behind a scheme to kill his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally objected to that one of the largest accommodations in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a likeness of his father's face that everyone had to tread upon.
Questioning Techniques
But it was Cheney who was one of the most vociferous advocating attacking Iraq, consistently citing information documents that were both thin or completely deceptive. He supported what the Bush administration politely called as "intensive questioning", the employment of waterboarding and harsh treatment.
Answering a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no actionable intelligence had been obtained through the interrogation methods, Cheney rejected the conclusions as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to establish protocols and put in place programmes to capture the bastards who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it never happened again. That was specifically what they did and they earn a lot of recognition."
Public Persona
Cheney enjoyed nicknames imposed on him by critics such as Darth Vader and The Prince of Darkness, and by the idea that he was a shadow power directing Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the two, 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 nobody ever sees leave his lair? It's a effective way to function, actually."
Commercial Ties
Debate over his corporate affiliations followed him during his tenure as vice-president. Even though he had limited background in corporate affairs but good contacts in defence, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial energy companies, in 1995 as chair and chief executive.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's VP candidate for the presidency. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was awarded US deals worth substantial sums.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly compensation during his time at the company increased from his previous salary during his time as Pentagon chief to $4.4m. When he resigned in 2000 he had a compensation package totaling in excess of $20m|twenty
