The former US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, was regarded as one of the most significant holders of that position in US history. Whereas many second-in-commands had to settle for minor or symbolic roles, Cheney exercised enormous power during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was frequently described as the "true president".
Bush resented that description and said the connection was more complicated. He noted that Cheney was deferential, always calling him in public settings as Mr President, while he called him as Dick. Bush disputed even characterisations of their association as a collaboration because it suggested that they were equals. In spite of these denials, Cheney found the relaxed president pliable on a wide array of policy decisions.
A Post-9/11 Era
Leading of a group of neo-cons that included Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been taking part in a session at a school in Florida. As Bush traveled to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney took command, commanding the downing of any non-communicating airplanes approaching the government building.
Cheney stated the strikes altered his perspective, causing him to be determined on revenge. In conjunction with other neo-conservatives, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a takeover of Afghanistan in an attempt to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the invasion 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 perished, nor about the enhanced interrogation of suspects captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was based on faulty reports circulated by Cheney, was the proper decision. "It was the right thing to do back then. I had faith at the time and I maintain that stance presently."
Yet during that period, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the poor management of Iraq. One of the White House's own delegates to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the post. "I witnessed, as a baseline," he wrote later "true dereliction, negligence, and unaccountability: potentially, deception, ineptitude, and corruption."
Broader Context
Cheney was not solely to blame for the Iraq military action. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for comparable steps. He had drafted a document detailing circumstances in which national priorities might be compromised (including "obtaining vital raw materials, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be postured to act independently when joint efforts cannot be arranged," particularly referencing military moves against Iraq.
Bush also had arrived in the White House vaguely intent on carrying out what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; remove Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the White House, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of reducing America's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggested military action against Iraq.
Bush carried a private grievance against Saddam, thinking he had been involved in a scheme to assassinate his parent, President George HW Bush, on a journey to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the biggest hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his predecessor's visage that each person had to tread upon.
Questioning Techniques
But it was Cheney who was one of the most vociferous advocating invading Iraq, repeatedly referencing intelligence reports that were whether weak or entirely deceptive. He supported what the Bush government indirectly described as "advanced techniques", the use of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Responding to a Senate report in 2014 that found that no useful information had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney disregarded the report as "full of crap". He stated to Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to implement measures and create initiatives to apprehend the perpetrators who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it would not recur. That was specifically what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney took pleasure in labels assigned to him by detractors such as Darth Vader and the sinister presence, and by the idea that he was a dark force manipulating Bush. In the journalist's 2013 publication about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Am I the sinister strategist in the background that remains unseen leave his lair? It's a nice way to function, truthfully."
Commercial Ties
Dispute over his commercial relationships pursued him through his period as VP. Although he had minimal expertise in commerce but established relationships in military, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy companies, in 1995 as leader and CEO.
In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the White House. Controversially, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was awarded US agreements totaling substantial sums.
It significantly boosted his finances. His yearly compensation during his period at the company grew from his previous salary during his time as Pentagon chief to over four million. When he departed in 2000 he had a compensation package totaling over $20m|twenty