Ex- Vice-President Dick Cheney: An Examination on His Impactful Political Career

The deceased US vice-president Dick Cheney, who passed away at the age of 84, was considered one of the most influential holders of that position in the nation's history. While numerous vice-presidents were confined to minor or symbolic positions, Cheney held enormous influence during the administration of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was often called as the "real president".

Bush objected to this portrayal and said the relationship was more nuanced. He noted that Cheney was deferential, consistently addressing him in public settings as President, while he addressed him as Dick. Bush disputed even portrayals of their partnership as a collaboration because it implied that they were on equal footing. Regardless of these denials, Cheney considered the relaxed president pliable on a wide array of governmental choices.

The Post-9/11 Era

Leading of a contingent of neo-conservatives that featured defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been participating in a session at a elementary school in Florida. As Bush made his way to a underground facility in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the destruction of any unresponsive airplanes approaching the government building.

Cheney said the attacks changed him, leading him to become focused on revenge. In conjunction with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a occupation of Afghanistan in an effort to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the military action of Iraq, even though there was no evidence of Saddam Hussein having involvement.

Debated Decisions

He expressed no regrets about the armed intervention, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis lost their lives, and not about the enhanced interrogation of individuals apprehended after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was founded on inaccurate intelligence circulated by Cheney, was the right decision. "It was the right thing to do then. I was convinced at the time and I maintain that stance presently."

But during that period, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the White House's own special envoys to the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I witnessed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "true dereliction, carelessness, and unaccountability: potentially, falsehoods, incompetence, and graft."

Wider Perspective

Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq military action. Even before 9/11, Wolfowitz had pushed for similar measures. He had written a memo outlining circumstances in which national priorities might be endangered (featuring "access to vital raw materials, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had asserted that "the US should be prepared to operate alone when collective action cannot be orchestrated," particularly mentioning armed actions against Iraq.

Bush also had arrived in the Oval Office generally inclined on implementing what his parent had famously refused to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Following he had been dismissed by the White House, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill recounted how, at the initial gathering of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his objective of diminishing America's engagement in the regional tensions and proposed defense operations against Iraq.

Bush held a private grievance against Saddam, thinking he had been responsible for a conspiracy to kill his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He also objected to that one of the biggest establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a image of his parent's countenance that each person had to walk over.

Interrogation Methods

However it was Cheney who was among the most vociferous supporting striking Iraq, consistently referencing agency briefings that were either insubstantial or completely inaccurate. He endorsed what the Bush government euphemistically referred to as "enhanced interrogation", the employment of interrogation method and harsh treatment.

Answering a Senate document in 2014 that determined that no useful information had been obtained through the torture, Cheney rejected the findings as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to take steps and establish initiatives to capture the bastards who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it was not repeated. That's exactly what they did and they earn a lot of credit."

Public Persona

Cheney enjoyed monikers imposed on him by critics such as the Star Wars villain and the dark figure, and by the idea that he was a sinister influence directing Bush. In the author's 2013 book about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is quoted as saying: "Is it me who is the malevolent mastermind in the corner that nobody ever sees come out of his domain? This represents a nice way to function, in fact."

Commercial Ties

Dispute over his business interests pursued him throughout his time as vice-president. While he had limited background in commerce but strong connections in military, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he was asked to become part of Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy companies, in 1995 as chairman and top executive.

In 2000 he was selected as Bush's running mate for the presidency. Debatably, during the military campaign, Halliburton was awarded US agreements totaling billions.

It significantly boosted his finances. His annual income during his tenure at the firm increased from his previous salary while defence secretary to $4.4m. When he departed in 2000 he had a package worth over $20m|twenty