The late US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, was seen as among the most significant occupants of the vice-presidency in the nation's history. While countless VPs were confined to marginal or figurehead positions, Cheney exercised huge power during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was frequently referred to as the "true president".
Bush resented such a characterisation and said the dynamic was more complex. He pointed out that Cheney was courteous, invariably referring to him in public settings as the President, while he referred to him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their relationship as a partnership because it indicated that they were equals. Despite such protestations, Cheney viewed the laidback president malleable on a broad range of governmental choices.
The Aftermath of 9/11
In charge of a faction of neo-cons that featured defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. At the time of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been taking part in a session at a educational institution in Florida. Whereas Bush headed for a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, directing the destruction of any unidentified airplanes approaching the Capitol building.
Cheney claimed the attacks altered his perspective, making him become focused on revenge. Together with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he lobbied for a occupation of Afghanistan in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the invasion of Iraq, although there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Disputed Policies
He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, nor about the harsh treatment of detainees apprehended after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was based on faulty reports circulated by Cheney, was the proper path to take. "It was the right thing to do back then. I had faith back then and I hold that view now."
However during that period, there were opposing views at a senior level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the government's own representatives to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the position. "I witnessed, at a minimum," he subsequently stated "clear negligence, inaction, and recklessness: potentially, deception, ineptitude, and corruption."
Additional Factors
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq military action. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had pushed for similar measures. He had drafted a document setting out scenarios in which American interests might be endangered (encompassing "access to crucial commodities, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the US should be postured to operate alone when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," explicitly citing military moves against Iraq.
Bush too had arrived in the presidency somewhat determined on implementing what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; remove Saddam. Following he had been sacked by the White House, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had declared his intention of reducing America's engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggested defense operations against Iraq.
Bush bore a personal grudge against Saddam, thinking he had been involved in a conspiracy to murder his father, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a image of his predecessor's face that everyone had to tread upon.
Investigation Approaches
However it was Cheney who was one of the most vehement supporting striking Iraq, repeatedly referencing intelligence reports that were both insubstantial or entirely deceptive. He endorsed what the Bush White House indirectly described as "intensive questioning", the employment of simulated drowning and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that found that no useful information had been obtained through the harsh techniques, Cheney dismissed the findings as "riddled with crap". He told Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to implement measures and put in place programmes to apprehend the bastards who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it was not repeated. That is precisely what they did and they deserve a lot of credit."
External Perception
Cheney took pleasure in labels imposed on him by critics such as the dark character and the sinister presence, and by the notion that he was a dark force manipulating Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 book about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Is it me who is the evil genius in the background that remains unseen emerge from his hole? That is a effective way to function, actually."
Business Interests
Debate over his business interests accompanied him throughout his time as vice-president. Although he had little experience in business but strong connections in military, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil and gas corporations, in 1995 as leader and top executive.
In 2000 he became Bush's VP candidate for the presidency. Contentiously, during the military campaign, Halliburton was given US deals valued at multiple billions.
It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his time at the company rose from his quarter-million dollars while Pentagon chief to millions. When he resigned in 2000 he had a compensation package worth over $20m|twenty
