Ex- Second-in-Command Dick Cheney: An Examination on the Influential Time in Office

The deceased US second-in-command Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84, was considered arguably the most influential holders of that office in the nation's history. Whereas countless second-in-commands had to settle for marginal or ceremonial positions, Cheney exercised substantial influence during the term of George W Bush, to the point that he was commonly called as the "true president".

Bush resented this portrayal and stated the relationship was more nuanced. He pointed out that Cheney was respectful, invariably addressing him in public settings as the President, while he called him as Dick. Bush questioned even portrayals of their association as a collaboration because it suggested that they were equals. In spite of these objections, Cheney viewed the laidback president malleable on a broad range of administrative determinations.

A Period Following the Attacks

In charge of a contingent of neo-conservatives that encompassed Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld and assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, he pushed hard for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. When of the 9/11 assault, Bush had been taking part in a meeting at a school in Florida. Whereas Bush traveled to a secret bunker in Nebraska, Cheney assumed control, commanding the destruction of any non-communicating airplanes heading toward the Capitol building.

Cheney stated the attacks changed him, making him become intent on retribution. Together with other neo-cons, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, he advocated for a occupation of Afghanistan in an endeavor to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Cheney then pressed fiercely for the invasion of Iraq, even though there was insufficient indication of Saddam Hussein having involvement.

Controversial Decisions

He voiced no apologies about the invasion, in which an approximated 100,000 Iraqis perished, and not about the enhanced interrogation of individuals captured after 9/11. He stated to CNN in 2015 that the Iraq invasion effort, which was founded on inaccurate information repeated by Cheney, was the right path to take. "It represented the proper decision to do at that time. I was convinced then and I believe it now."

But during that period, there were contrary opinions at a high level about the poor management of Iraq. One of the White House's own special envoys to the region, General Anthony Zinni (2001-03), was not reappointed from the post. "I saw, as a baseline," he later wrote "clear negligence, carelessness, and irresponsibility: in the worst case, falsehoods, incompetence, and corruption."

Additional Factors

Cheney was not completely to blame for the Iraq military action. Prior to 9/11, Wolfowitz had advocated for comparable steps. He had drafted a document setting out scenarios in which national priorities might be threatened (encompassing "access to crucial commodities, mainly Persian Gulf oil"). Wolfowitz had contended that "the United States should be postured to operate alone when cooperative measures cannot be orchestrated," specifically citing military moves against Iraq.

Bush too had entered the White House somewhat determined on carrying out what his predecessor had specifically avoided to do in 1991; topple Saddam. Following he had been dismissed by the White House, the finance chief Paul O'Neill revealed how, at the opening session of the National Security Council in January 2001, Bush had stated his intention of diminishing America's engagement in the Middle East dispute and mooted military action against Iraq.

Bush held a personal grudge against Saddam, thinking he had been involved in a plot to assassinate his predecessor, President George HW Bush, on a visit to Kuwait in 1993. He also objected to that one of the biggest hotels in Baghdad had a surface artwork with a image of his predecessor's visage that everyone had to tread upon.

Questioning Techniques

Yet it was Cheney who was part of the most outspoken advocating striking Iraq, consistently citing intelligence reports that were both weak or totally inaccurate. He supported what the Bush government politely called as "advanced techniques", the employment of waterboarding and torture.

Answering a Senate analysis in 2014 that concluded that no valuable data had been obtained through the harsh techniques, Cheney disregarded the report as "loaded with crap". He informed Fox News: "We requested [the CIA] to establish protocols and establish initiatives to capture the individuals who murdered 3,000 of us on 9/11 and ensure it was not repeated. That was specifically what they did and they earn a lot of recognition."

Public Image

Cheney reveled in labels assigned to him by critics such as the dark character and The Prince of Darkness, and by the concept that he was a sinister influence directing Bush. In the author's 2013 book about the pair, Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House, Cheney is cited as commenting: "Am I the malevolent mastermind in the corner that operates invisibly emerge from his lair? This represents a effective way to work, truthfully."

Commercial Ties

Dispute over his commercial relationships pursued him throughout his time as vice-president. While he had little experience in business but good contacts in security, especially in Saudi Arabia, he was invited to join Halliburton, one of the world's most substantial energy conglomerates, in 1995 as chair and CEO.

In 2000 he became Bush's running mate for the White House. Controversially, during the conflict in Iraq, Halliburton was given US contracts totaling billions.

It greatly increased his wealth. His yearly earnings during his tenure at the company increased from his quarter-million dollars during his time as Pentagon chief to millions. When he left in 2000 he had a severance arrangement valued at more than $20m|twenty