Ex- Second-in-Command Dick Cheney: A Look Back on the Impactful Political Career

The deceased US vice-president Dick Cheney, who died at the age of 84, was considered arguably the most influential occupants of that position in the nation's history. Whereas numerous vice-presidents were confined to minor or ceremonial roles, Cheney held substantial influence during the term of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was often described as the "true president".

Bush disliked this portrayal and said the dynamic was more nuanced. He observed that Cheney was courteous, invariably addressing him in official appearances as the President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush questioned even portrayals of their association as a collaboration because it implied that they were on equal footing. In spite of such protestations, Cheney considered the relaxed president pliable on a wide array of administrative determinations.

A Period Following the Attacks

In charge of a contingent of neo-cons that featured defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he vigorously promoted the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been attending a session at a school in Florida. While Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the shooting down of any unidentified airplanes nearing the government building.

Cheney claimed the attacks altered his perspective, making him become intent on retribution. In conjunction with other conservative figures, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a invasion of Afghanistan in an endeavor to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the armed intervention of Iraq, even though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein being involved.

Controversial Actions

He expressed no regrets about the invasion, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, or about the enhanced interrogation of suspects apprehended after 9/11. He told CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was predicated on faulty reports repeated by Cheney, was the proper path to take. "It was the correct action to do back then. I had faith then and I maintain that stance today."

Yet even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a senior level about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the White House's own delegates to the area, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I witnessed, at a minimum," he later wrote "obvious failure, negligence, and unaccountability: at worst, falsehoods, unfitness, and dishonesty."

Additional Factors

Cheney was not entirely to blame for the Iraq military action. Before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for such action. He had written a memo setting out scenarios in which American interests might be compromised (including "availability of vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be prepared to act independently when collective action cannot be arranged," explicitly referencing military moves against Iraq.

Bush also had entered the presidency vaguely intent on carrying out what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Following he had been dismissed 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 announced his plan of lowering America's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggested armed intervention against Iraq.

Bush held a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a conspiracy to kill his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally objected to that one of the largest hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a likeness of his predecessor's face that each person had to walk over.

Interrogation Methods

But it was Cheney who was among the most vehement behind striking Iraq, frequently referencing agency briefings that were both insubstantial or completely misleading. He endorsed what the Bush White House euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the use of simulated drowning and torture.

Responding to a Senate document in 2014 that found that no valuable data had resulted from the torture, Cheney disregarded the report as "loaded with crap". He informed Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to implement measures and establish procedures to capture the bastards who took the lives of 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it never happened again. That's exactly what they did and they deserve a lot of praise."

Public Image

Cheney reveled in monikers given to him by opponents such as Darth Vader and the dark figure, and by the idea that he was a shadow power controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 book about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Is it me who is the evil genius in the background that remains unseen come out of his hole? It's a nice way to function, truthfully."

Corporate Connections

Controversy over his business interests followed him throughout his time as VP. Even though he had limited background in commerce but strong connections in security, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was offered a position at Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial petroleum corporations, in 1995 as chairman and CEO.

In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Contentiously, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was awarded US contracts totaling billions.

It greatly increased his wealth. His annual income during his tenure at the firm increased from his $258,394 while military head to over four million. When he departed in 2000 he had a severance arrangement totaling over $20m|twenty