One-time Vice-President Dick Cheney: An Examination on His Powerful Political Career

The late US VP Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, was considered arguably the most influential holders of that position in American history. Whereas countless second-in-commands were limited to marginal or figurehead functions, Cheney held huge sway during the term of George W Bush, so much so that he was often referred to as the "true president".

Bush objected to such a characterisation and claimed the connection was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was respectful, always referring to him in public settings as Mr President, while he called him as Dick. Bush questioned even descriptions of their relationship as a collaboration because it indicated that they were peers. In spite of these objections, Cheney viewed the relaxed president malleable on a broad range of administrative determinations.

A Aftermath of 9/11

Leading of a faction of neo-cons that featured defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 strike, Bush had been taking part in a gathering at a school in Florida. As Bush made his way to a secure location in Nebraska, Cheney took command, ordering the destruction of any unidentified planes approaching the Capitol building.

Cheney claimed the strikes changed him, leading him to become determined on revenge. In conjunction with other neo-cons, like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a invasion of Afghanistan in an effort to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then vigorously pushed for the military action of Iraq, even though there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein being involved.

Disputed Policies

He showed no remorse about the invasion, in which an reckoned 100,000 Iraqis died, nor about the harsh treatment of suspects captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was based on inaccurate intelligence circulated by Cheney, was the right decision. "It proved to be the right thing to do back then. I believed it at the time and I believe it presently."

However during that period, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the mishandling of Iraq. One of the White House's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I witnessed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, carelessness, and irresponsibility: at worst, lying, incompetence, and graft."

Wider Perspective

Cheney was not solely accountable for the Iraq campaign. Before 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for such action. He had written a document outlining situations in which American interests might be endangered (featuring "obtaining essential resources, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the US should be positioned to take unilateral action when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," specifically citing armed actions against Iraq.

Bush additionally had entered the White House generally inclined on implementing what his father had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. After he had been dismissed by the White House, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill disclosed 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 individual resentment against Saddam, believing he had been responsible for a scheme to kill his parent, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He furthermore resented that one of the biggest establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a likeness of his parent's countenance that everyone had to tread upon.

Investigation Approaches

Yet it was Cheney who was among the most vehement behind striking Iraq, consistently citing intelligence reports that were whether thin or totally deceptive. He backed what the Bush White House euphemistically referred to as "intensive questioning", the use of waterboarding and harsh treatment.

Addressing a Senate report in 2014 that found that no useful information had come from the harsh techniques, Cheney dismissed the findings as "loaded with crap". He informed Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to establish protocols and put in place programmes to catch the bastards who murdered 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."

Public Image

Cheney took pleasure in nicknames assigned to him by critics such as Darth Vader and the sinister presence, and by the notion that he was a sinister influence controlling Bush. In the author's 2013 publication about the duo, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Do I represent the sinister strategist in the background that nobody ever sees come out of his lair? That is a effective way to operate, actually."

Business Interests

Debate over his business interests followed him during his tenure as VP. Even though 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 companies, in 1995 as leader and CEO.

In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Debatably, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was granted US agreements worth multiple billions.

It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his period at the firm grew from his $258,394 while defence secretary to millions. When he left in 2000 he had a severance arrangement totaling more than $20m|twenty