Former US vice chairman Dick Cheney, one of many main advocates for the US waging the Iraq Conflict, has died.
In a press release, his household mentioned the 84-year-old was surrounded on the time of his loss of life by his spouse Lynne, daughters Liz and Mary, and different relations.
He died from issues of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular illness, it mentioned.
The Republican was one of the crucial polarising vice presidents in US historical past underneath George W Bush from 2001 to 2009, and was one of many fundamental overseas coverage hawks forward of the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Dick Cheney with George W Bush. Pic: Reuters
Then prime minister Tony Blair meets Dick Cheney in 2002. Pic Reuters
With Mr Bush within the presidency, Mr Cheney was additionally one of the crucial highly effective vice presidents in historical past, main US coverage after the 9/11 assaults, when America performed the Conflict on Terror, and shaping the administration’s extra assertive worldwide method.
In later life, he grew to become a goal of Donald Trump, particularly after his daughter, Liz Cheney, grew to become the main Republican critic and examiner of Mr Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6, 2021, rebellion on the US Capitol.
Dick Cheney seems on as his daughter Liz Cheney takes the oath of workplace in 2017. Pic: AP
“In our nation’s 246-year historical past, there has by no means been a person who was a larger risk to our republic than Donald Trump,” Mr Cheney mentioned in a TV advert for his daughter.
“He tried to steal the final election utilizing lies and violence to maintain himself in energy after the voters had rejected him. He’s a coward.”
Queen Elizabeth and Dick Cheney tour the Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2007. Pic: Reuters
Dick Cheney stands with former prime minister Margaret Thatcher and his spouse Lynne at a ceremony in reminiscence of the victims of the September 11 assaults in 2006. Pic: Reuters
Final yr, he mentioned he was voting for Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, to be president in opposition to Mr Trump.
Mr Cheney survived 5 coronary heart assaults and declared in 2013 he wakened every morning “with a smile on my face, grateful for the present of one other day”.
George W Bush and Dick Cheney. Pic: Reuters
He beforehand served as defence secretary underneath Mr Bush’s father, George HW Bush, directing the US-led navy operation to expel Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi occupying military from Kuwait within the first Gulf Conflict.
Earlier than that, he had been Gerald Ford’s chief of employees and served as a congressman for Wyoming within the Home throughout the Reagan years.
Pic: Reuters
His household’s assertion mentioned: “For many years, Dick Cheney served our nation, together with as White Home Chief of Employees, Wyoming’s Congressman, Secretary of Protection, and Vice President of america.
“Dick Cheney was an awesome and good man who taught his youngsters and grandchildren to like our nation, and to reside lives of braveness, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing.
“We’re grateful past measure for all Dick Cheney did for our nation.
“And we’re blessed past measure to have liked and been liked by this noble big of a person.”
