Dick cheney, the influential Republican vice president under George W. Bush, has died at the age of 81. A key architect of the Bush management’s foreign policy adn a powerful figure in Washington for decades,Cheney‘s death marks the end of an era defined by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a conservative shift in American politics.
Cheney’s family confirmed his death in a statement, noting his extensive career in public service, including roles as White House chief of staff, congressman from Wyoming, Secretary of defense, and Vice President of the United States. He was enjoying a lucrative career in the business world when Bush tapped him to evaluate potential vice presidential candidates, a process that ultimately led to his own selection as Bush’s running mate.
The pair arrived in the White House after a disputed 2000 election, with Cheney bringing meaningful experience to a then-inexperienced president. While often caricatured as the true power behind the Bush administration, Cheney wielded enormous influence behind the scenes, notably in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Cheney served as a central figure in shaping the administration’s response to 9/11, advocating for a broad expansion of presidential power in the name of national security.He was a staunch proponent of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, policies that remain highly controversial today.
Prior to his vice presidency, Cheney held several prominent positions. He served as a U.S. Representative for Wyoming from 1979 to 1989, and later as Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, overseeing the Persian Gulf War.
His family’s statement also highlighted his personal life, noting that “Dick Cheney was a great man who instilled in his children and grandchildren a love for our country and a life of courage, honor, love, kindness and, above all, fly fishing.” They added, “We are deeply grateful for everything Dick Cheney did for our country. And we feel immensely blessed to have loved and been loved by this noble and imposing man.”
