Ex- Second-in-Command Dick Cheney: A Retrospective on the Powerful Time in Office

The deceased US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who passed away at the age of 84, was considered among the most influential holders of that position in the nation's history. Whereas many VPs were confined to marginal or symbolic positions, Cheney exercised substantial sway during the presidency of George W Bush, so much so that he was commonly described as the "real president".

Bush resented that description and said the dynamic was more nuanced. He noted that Cheney was respectful, consistently referring to him in public settings as President, while he called him as Dick. Bush challenged even characterisations of their association as a partnership because it implied that they were on equal footing. Regardless of these denials, Cheney found the relaxed president malleable on a whole raft of policy decisions.

A Aftermath of 9/11

In charge of a group of neo-conservatives that encompassed military head Donald Rumsfeld and deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the armed incursion of Iraq in 2003 in reaction to the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been participating in a gathering at a educational institution in Florida. As Bush made his way to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took command, directing the destruction of any unresponsive planes approaching the US Capitol.

Cheney stated the strikes transformed him, causing him to be determined on revenge. Along with other neo-cons, like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a invasion of Afghanistan in an attempt to capture Osama bin Laden. Cheney then strongly advocated for the invasion of Iraq, even though there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.

Debated Policies

He voiced no apologies about the military campaign, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis perished, nor about the waterboarding of detainees apprehended after 9/11. He told CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was founded on inaccurate information circulated by Cheney, was the right decision. "It was the right thing to do then. I was convinced back then and I hold that view today."

However even at the time, there were contrary opinions at a top tier about the botched execution of Iraq. One of the administration's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not retained from the post. "I observed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, negligence, and irresponsibility: in the worst case, deception, incompetence, and corruption."

Broader Context

Cheney was not solely to blame for the Iraq military action. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had called for similar measures. He had composed a document detailing scenarios in which US concerns might be endangered (featuring "obtaining vital raw materials, mostly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had argued that "the United States should be postured to act independently when cooperative measures prove impossible," specifically referencing armed actions against Iraq.

Bush also had entered the presidency generally inclined on carrying out what his parent had specifically avoided to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Following he had been fired by the president, the Treasury head Paul O'Neill disclosed how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had announced his objective of reducing America's participation in the Middle East dispute and suggested defense operations against Iraq.

Bush carried a personal grudge against Saddam, convinced he had been responsible for a plot to assassinate his father, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He additionally disliked that one of the biggest accommodations in Baghdad had a ground design with a image of his parent's face that all visitors had to walk over.

Interrogation Methods

However it was Cheney who was part of the most vociferous behind striking Iraq, repeatedly quoting intelligence reports that were both weak or completely inaccurate. He endorsed what the Bush government indirectly described as "advanced techniques", the use of simulated drowning and harsh treatment.

Answering a Senate report in 2014 that determined that no useful information had been obtained through the interrogation methods, Cheney dismissed the findings as "loaded with crap". He told Fox News: "We instructed [the CIA] to establish protocols and put in place programmes to catch the individuals who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and make sure it would not recur. That is precisely what they did and they deserve a lot of recognition."

Public Image

Cheney enjoyed monikers given to him by critics such as the Star Wars villain and the sinister presence, and by the notion that he was a dark force manipulating Bush. In the journalist's 2013 book about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Am I the evil genius in the background that operates invisibly emerge from his lair? That is a nice way to operate, truthfully."

Business Interests

Controversy over his commercial relationships followed him during his tenure as second-in-command. While he had limited background in corporate affairs but established relationships in military, notably in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's biggest petroleum conglomerates, in 1995 as chair and chief executive.

In 2000 he was selected as Bush's VP candidate for the presidency. Controversially, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was awarded US deals worth substantial sums.

It made him rich. His yearly earnings during his tenure at the firm grew from his $258,394 during his time as defence secretary to $4.4m. When he departed in 2000 he had a compensation package worth more than $20m|twenty