Ex- Second-in-Command Dick Cheney: An Examination on the Influential Government Service
The late US VP Dick Cheney, who has died at age 84, was seen as arguably the most significant incumbents of that position in the nation's history. Although numerous vice-presidents were confined to peripheral or symbolic positions, Cheney exercised substantial sway during the presidency of George W Bush, to such an extent that he was commonly described as the "true president".
Bush resented that description and claimed the dynamic was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was courteous, always addressing him in official appearances 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 equals. Regardless of these objections, Cheney considered the laidback president pliable on a broad range of governmental choices.
A Period Following the Attacks
In charge of a contingent of neo-conservatives that included defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Pentagon second-in-command Paul Wolfowitz, he strongly advocated the military intervention of Iraq in 2003 in answer to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. During of the 9/11 attack, Bush had been attending a meeting at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush headed for a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney took command, ordering the shooting down of any unresponsive airplanes heading toward the US Capitol.
Cheney said the strikes altered his perspective, causing him to be focused on retribution. In conjunction with other neo-cons, such as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he campaigned for a invasion of Afghanistan in an endeavor to seize Osama bin Laden. Cheney then pressed fiercely for the military action of Iraq, although there was little proof of Saddam Hussein having involvement.
Controversial Policies
He showed no remorse about the armed intervention, in which an estimated 100,000 Iraqis perished, nor about the enhanced interrogation of detainees captured after 9/11. He informed CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion, which was founded on faulty intelligence echoed by Cheney, was the correct path to take. "It was the correct action to do then. I was convinced back then and I believe it today."
Yet during that period, there were opposing views at a top tier about the poor management of Iraq. One of the government's own representatives to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was dismissed from the role. "I observed, at the very least," he subsequently stated "obvious failure, negligence, and recklessness: potentially, falsehoods, ineptitude, and graft."
Wider Perspective
Cheney was not solely responsible for the Iraq campaign. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for similar measures. He had composed a memo outlining scenarios in which American interests might be compromised (including "availability of essential resources, primarily Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "America should be positioned to take unilateral action when cooperative measures cannot be arranged," particularly citing armed actions against Iraq.
Bush also had entered the Oval Office somewhat determined on implementing what his predecessor had notably declined to do in 1991; overthrow Saddam. Following 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 stated his plan of lowering America's engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mooted armed intervention against Iraq.
Bush carried a personal grudge against Saddam, believing he had been behind a scheme to assassinate his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He also disliked that one of the biggest establishments in Baghdad had a floor mural with a likeness of his predecessor's countenance that everyone had to tread upon.
Interrogation Methods
However it was Cheney who was one of the most vociferous behind attacking Iraq, repeatedly citing information documents that were both insubstantial or totally misleading. He endorsed what the Bush administration politely called as "advanced techniques", the application of interrogation method and harsh treatment.
Addressing a Senate document in 2014 that determined that no actionable intelligence had resulted from the interrogation methods, Cheney dismissed the findings as "full of crap". He informed Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to take steps and put in place procedures to apprehend the individuals who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it never happened again. That is precisely what they did and they earn a lot of praise."
Public Image
Cheney enjoyed monikers given to him by critics such as Darth Vader and the dark figure, and by the notion that he was a shadow power controlling Bush. In the journalist's 2013 volume about the two, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Is it me who is the malevolent mastermind in the corner that remains unseen emerge from his domain? This represents a advantageous way to work, in fact."
Commercial Ties
Debate over his corporate affiliations followed him throughout his time as vice-president. Even though he had little experience in corporate affairs but strong connections in military, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's biggest energy conglomerates, in 1995 as leader and CEO.
In 2000 he became Bush's election partner for the presidency. Debatably, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was given US agreements worth substantial sums.
It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly compensation during his time at the corporation increased from his $258,394 when he was military head to $4.4m. When he left in 2000 he had a severance arrangement valued at in excess of $20m|twenty