Former Second-in-Command Dick Cheney: An Examination on the Influential Time in Office

The former US VP Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was considered one of the most influential occupants of that position in American history. While numerous VPs had to settle for marginal or symbolic functions, Cheney held substantial sway during the presidency of George W Bush, to the point that he was frequently described as the "real president".

Bush disliked such a characterisation and claimed the dynamic was more complicated. He pointed out that Cheney was respectful, consistently calling him in public as Mr President, while he called him as Dick. Bush challenged even descriptions of their association as a partnership because it implied that they were on equal footing. Regardless of these denials, Cheney found the laidback president accommodating on a whole raft of administrative determinations.

The Period Following the Attacks

At the head of a faction of neo-conservatives that encompassed defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the invasion 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 attending a meeting at a elementary school in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the shooting down of any unresponsive aircraft approaching the US Capitol.

Cheney stated the assaults altered his perspective, causing him to be determined on retaliation. Along with other conservative figures, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a occupation of Afghanistan in an effort to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the military action of Iraq, though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein playing a role.

Controversial Policies

He showed no remorse about the invasion, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis died, and not about the enhanced interrogation of suspects apprehended after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq military action, which was predicated on faulty intelligence repeated by Cheney, was the proper path to take. "It proved to be the proper decision to do then. I had faith at the time and I hold that view today."

Yet during that period, there were dissenting voices at a senior level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the administration's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the role. "I witnessed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, carelessness, and irresponsibility: at worst, lying, incompetence, and graft."

Wider Perspective

Cheney was not solely accountable for the Iraq campaign. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for such action. He had drafted a memo detailing circumstances in which American interests might be threatened (including "availability of vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be postured to act independently when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," particularly referencing military moves against Iraq.

Bush too had entered the Oval Office somewhat determined on carrying out what his predecessor had famously refused to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the president, the finance chief Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the first meeting of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his plan of reducing America's engagement in the Middle East dispute and proposed defense operations against Iraq.

Bush bore a private grievance against Saddam, believing he had been involved in a scheme to kill his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a trip to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally objected to that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his parent's visage that all visitors had to step on.

Investigation Approaches

But it was Cheney who was among the most outspoken advocating attacking Iraq, repeatedly referencing intelligence reports that were both weak or entirely inaccurate. He endorsed what the Bush government politely called as "enhanced interrogation", the employment of simulated drowning and physical pressure.

Responding to a Senate document in 2014 that determined that no valuable data had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney rejected the findings as "riddled with crap". He told Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to take steps and create initiatives to catch the perpetrators who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it would not recur. That's exactly what they did and they merit a lot of credit."

Public Image

Cheney enjoyed nicknames imposed on him by opponents such as Darth Vader and the dark figure, and by the idea that he was a dark force directing Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Do I represent the malevolent mastermind in the background that nobody ever sees come out of his lair? It's a nice way to work, truthfully."

Commercial Ties

Debate over his business interests followed him through his period as second-in-command. While he had little experience in business but strong connections in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil and gas corporations, in 1995 as leader and CEO.

In 2000 he became Bush's running mate for the executive branch. Contentiously, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was awarded US deals totaling multiple billions.

It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his period at the company increased from his quarter-million dollars when he was defence secretary to millions. When he departed in 2000 he had a compensation package worth more than $20m|twenty