Dick Cheney, seen as one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in US history who played a large role in the post-9/11 war on terror, died 3 November at 84, his family said in a statement the following day.
Cheney, who was the 46th vice president of the US, died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, the 4 November statement said.
Robert Schmuhl, professor emeritus of American studies at the University of Notre Dame, who critically observes the modern American presidency, told OSV News, “During George W. Bush’s first term as president, Dick Cheney had influence and power unmatched in the history of the vice presidency.”
Cheney’s long career in Washington included roles as President Gerald Ford’s White House chief of staff, a member of Congress from Wyoming, and secretary of defense.
Cheney was a leading advocate for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, seen as a key player in convincing President George W. Bush to carry out a preemptive attack to remove Saddam Hussein from power in the years following 9/11.
Although the American public came to view that war as a disaster, Cheney consistently defended the decision. Bush called Cheney “a calm and steady presence in the White House amid great national challenges.”
