Dick Cheney's name has been mentioned less and less in the media lately. In 2006, after a trip to Eastern Europe and Eurasia, the former Vice President spoke about the development of democracy in the region, including in Russia. So who is Dick Cheney? What positions did he hold and what did he do?
Early biography and education
Richard Bruce (Dick) Cheney was born in 1941 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He spent his childhood in Casper, Wyoming. After graduating from college, he entered Yale University, but was expelled from the second year. Dick Cheney received his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from a local university in 1965. Three years later he was accepted as an intern in the congressional apparatus, and the future vice president's really significant political career began when he joined the administration of President Richard Nixon in 1969. The young politician was promoted to the administration by Donald Rumsfeld.
In administrationUS Presidents
In 1974, Dick Cheney joined the administration of George Ford, and already from 1975 to 1977 he independently headed the administrative apparatus of the president. Along with Donald Rumsfeld, Cheney identified himself as part of the so-called "hawk" faction that opposed "détente" against the Soviet Union. In 1978, Dick Cheney entered the House of Representatives from Wyoming. He remained in this position until 1989. He managed to make a successful parliamentary career. For six years Dick Cheney was chairman of the Republican Party Policy Committee, and since 1988 he has served as a parliamentary organizer.
As Minister of Defense
The congressman received a new appointment in 1989. In the administration of George W. Bush Sr., he was appointed to the post of Minister of Defense. It was Dick Cheney who directed the actions of the United States of America in the Persian Gulf and Panama. Under him, operations "Desert Storm" and "Just Cause" were carried out. He advocated tight civilian control of the military, fearlessly engaging in heated discussions with high-ranking military officials, including Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Under Dick Cheney (for the first time since the end of the Cold War) there was a reduction in the armed forces. The secretary of defense called for a complete change in the American military industry (from global confrontation to conflicts in the regions), and also led an active fight against hostile regimes and international terrorism. Cheney served as Secretary of Defense until1993.
On the board of large corporations
After he left the post of Secretary of Defense, Cheney went into business. During the presidency of Bill Clinton, he headed the Halliburton oilfield service company and served on the boards of directors of several other companies. It is known that Halliburton, which is engaged in the construction of facilities for oil production and the production of related equipment, received the first contract for the restoration and development of oil fields in Iraq. At this time, the company's ties with the Republicans and the state apparatus in general were significantly strengthened, and the share price increased.
Continuing political career
In 2002, Dick Cheney (as the head of the oilfield service company mentioned above) became involved in a 1998 corruption scandal involving overstatement of income. It became known that a subsidiary of Halliburton Corporation inflated the cost of the project to create a network of cafeterias for the US military in Iraq.
The total amount of the contract was 15.6 billion dollars, and the budget was overpriced by 67 million. Halliburton supplied gasoline, LPG, diesel and kerosene to Iraq. The cost of production under the contract amounted to 900.6 million dollars. The Congressional Research Service determined that the actual value of the shipments did not exceed $704 million.
Since 2000, Dick Cheney's biography has continued in politics. He entered the race as a companion of George W. Bush. Vice-the president chose a candidate from the Republican Party, which came as a surprise to many, but over time, Cheney began to be perceived as an integral part of the Bush Jr. administrative apparatus.
Critics of his persona claimed that Cheney's influence in those years was even greater than Bush himself. It is known that during the diagnostic procedures for the president, which required anesthesia, the duties of the head of the country were performed by the vice president, who was involved in a corruption scandal. According to The Washington Post, Dick Cheney is the most powerful vice president in the history of the United States.
Views and assessments
Cheney was indeed a "non-standard" vice president because he was involved in shaping public policy. But he acted very unexpectedly, abandoning his presidential ambitions. Richard Cheney preferred to remain in the background, for which he was nicknamed the Gray Cardinal by journalists and critics. He was often criticized. The largest volume of claims was related to the corporate sector (with Halliburton Corporation), whose interests he actively defended in public office. Journalist Richard McGregor generally pointed to collusion between the politician and the fuel and energy industry.
As a congressman, Dick Cheney (a photo of the politician can be found in the article) spoke as a supporter of the Reagan administration, was a staunch conservative and opponent of the socially oriented initiatives of the Democratic Party. In the future, he several times openly showed his views, which causedharsh criticism.
For example, shortly after the assassination of terrorist Osama bin Laden by US intelligence agencies, Dick Cheney called for water torture to be allowed for persons suspected of terrorist activities. Such torture was banned in 2009 by President Barack Obama. Cheney argued with the proposal that it was the use of torture during the presidency of George W. Bush that allowed to determine the approximate location of bin Laden.
Personal life: family and children
The American politician is married to Lynn Cheney. The marriage produced two daughters: Elizabeth and Mary. Eldest daughter Elizabeth and the politician's wife currently work at the American Enterprise Institute. The personal life and views of Cheney's youngest daughter have been repeatedly discussed in the context of the legalization of marriages between homosexuals. Mary Cheney is a lesbian. In 2006, she wrote the autobiographical book Now My Turn, and a year later she gave birth to a son, continuing to live with her partner.
Interesting fact
In 2006, Dick Cheney received the World Stupidity Award as "The Stupidest Man of the Year". On a hunting trip, he accidentally shot Harry Whittington.
