Former Vice-President Dick Cheney: A Look Back on the Powerful Government Service

The deceased US vice-president Dick Cheney, who passed away at the age of 84, was considered arguably the most influential occupants of that position in the nation's history. While numerous second-in-commands had to settle for minor or figurehead functions, Cheney held huge sway during the presidency of George W Bush, to the point that he was commonly called as the "true president".

Bush resented this portrayal and said the relationship was more complicated. He observed that Cheney was courteous, always addressing him in official appearances as the President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush disputed even descriptions of their partnership as a partnership because it implied that they were on equal footing. Despite such protestations, Cheney found the laidback president pliable on a whole raft of policy decisions.

A Post-9/11 Era

At the head of a faction of neo-conservatives that included military head Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been taking part in a session at a elementary school in Florida. Whereas Bush made his way to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took command, ordering the destruction of any unidentified airplanes heading toward the US Capitol.

Cheney said the attacks altered his perspective, leading him to become determined on retaliation. Together with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he lobbied for a invasion of Afghanistan in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the armed intervention of Iraq, although there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.

Debated Decisions

He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis died, and not about the harsh treatment of suspects apprehended after 9/11. He told CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was based on misleading reports echoed by Cheney, was the correct path to take. "It proved to be the right thing to do at that time. I was convinced then and I hold that view presently."

Yet even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a senior level about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the government's own representatives to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the role. "I witnessed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility: potentially, deception, incompetence, and dishonesty."

Broader Context

Cheney was not completely accountable for the Iraq campaign. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for similar measures. He had composed a memorandum setting out scenarios in which national priorities might be endangered (featuring "access to vital raw materials, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be postured to take unilateral action when joint efforts cannot be orchestrated," particularly mentioning armed actions against Iraq.

Bush additionally had arrived in the presidency somewhat determined on carrying out what his parent had notably declined to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Subsequent to he had been sacked by the president, the treasury secretary Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of reducing America's participation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggested defense operations against Iraq.

Bush bore a private grievance against Saddam, convinced he had been involved in a scheme to murder his father, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore objected to that one of the most prominent hotels in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his parent's face that all visitors had to walk over.

Questioning Techniques

However it was Cheney who was one of the most vociferous advocating attacking Iraq, repeatedly quoting intelligence reports that were either weak or totally deceptive. He backed what the Bush White House indirectly described as "advanced techniques", the application of waterboarding and torture.

Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that found that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the harsh techniques, Cheney dismissed the findings as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We asked [the CIA] to take steps and put in place initiatives to apprehend the perpetrators who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and guarantee it would not recur. That was specifically what they did and they merit a lot of recognition."

Public Persona

Cheney reveled in nicknames imposed on him by critics such as the dark character and the dark figure, and by the idea that he was a sinister influence directing Bush. In Peter Baker's 2013 volume about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is reported as stating: "Do I represent the malevolent mastermind in the background that operates invisibly come out of his hole? It's a advantageous way to function, actually."

Commercial Ties

Debate over his commercial relationships accompanied him throughout his time as vice-president. Although he had little experience in commerce but good contacts in security, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of Halliburton, one of the world's biggest energy conglomerates, in 1995 as leader and top executive.

In 2000 he became Bush's VP candidate for the executive branch. Contentiously, during the Iraq war, Halliburton was granted US deals worth multiple billions.

It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his time at the firm rose from his $258,394 while Pentagon chief to $4.4m. When he left in 2000 he had a compensation package totaling in excess of $20m|twenty