Dick Cheney (1941–2025): A Life Defined By Power And Unsubstantiated Claims Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Former US Vice President Dick Cheney, wide regarded arsenic nan astir powerful individual to clasp nan second-highest office, died astatine nan property of 84 from complications related to cardiac and vascular illness connected November 3. 

Cheney’s 4 decades successful nationalist life, successful which he was Chief of Staff for President Ford to Secretary of Defence nether Bush Sr, were yet defined by his hawkish defense for nan 2003 Iraq War and nan profound description of executive powerfulness successful nan post-9/11 era.

Controversial designer of Iraq War and unsubstantiated claims

Cheney served arsenic nan 46th Vice President of nan United States from 2001 to 2009 nether President George W. Bush. Following nan September 11th attacks, he became nan superior designer of nan administration’s “War connected Terror” strategy. He was nan astir forceful sound pushing for nan penetration of Iraq, often citing intelligence that claimed Saddam Hussein possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and had an “operational narration pinch Al-Qaeda“.

The allegations were later proven to beryllium wholly unsubstantiated, but Cheney remained unapologetic, defending his stance that nan penetration was nan “right point to do“. His committedness to unilateral powerfulness led to his endorsement of arguable policies for illustration nan NSA’s wiretapping programme and “enhanced interrogation” techniques.

The Halliburton contention and enduring bosom battle

Cheney’s vice presidency was shadowed by aggravated scrutiny complete his anterior domiciled arsenic Chairman and CEO of Halliburton Company (1995–2000), a awesome lipid and state work supplier. Following nan Iraq invasion, Halliburton’s subsidiary, KBR, received billions successful lucrative, often no-bid, authorities contracts for subject and reconstruction services, starring to contention complete imaginable conflicts of interest.

Behind nan scenes of his governmental career, Cheney fought a lifelong conflict pinch chronic bosom disease, having suffered his first of 5 bosom attacks astatine property 37 while moving for Congress. The erstwhile VP underwent quadruple bypass room successful 1988, and his life was prolonged done aesculapian innovation, culminating successful a bosom transplant successful 2012.

A last break pinch nan modern Republican Party

In his later years, nan blimpish stalwart positioned himself arsenic a fierce professional of Donald Trump, labelling him nan “greatest threat to our republic”. This defiance against nan populist helping of nan Republican Party, particularly alongside his girl Liz Cheney, led to his symbolic break pinch nan modern blimpish establishment, a singular extremity to a singular governmental career.