Who was Dick Cheney? 'Most powerful' former vice president who served George W Bush, chief architect of Iraq War; Know how he influenced US political history

Former US Vice President Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in US history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84.Cheney died Monday night due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, according to a statement from his family. “For decades, Dick Cheney served our nation, including as White House Chief of Staff, Wyoming’s Congressman, Secretary of Defense, and Vice President of the United States," the statement said.

Who was Dick Cheney?

He was hailed as America's most powerful modern vice president and oft called the chief architect of the Iraq war. "His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed," the family said, as reported by CNN. Cheney was the 46th vice president, who served alongside Former President George W Bush for two terms between 2001 and 2009.

Richard Bruce Cheney was born January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska. During his political career, he was picked by Donald Rumsfeld as his deputy White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford and then succeeded his mentor and close friend in the job in 1975. CNN reported that while Democratic President Jimmy Carter was in the White House, Cheney decided to run for Congress and was elected to Wyoming's sole US House seat in 1978. Cheney served six terms, rising to become House minority whip.

In 1989, President George HW Bush, who had served with Cheney in the Ford administration, tapped him to serve as his defence secretary, calling him a "trusted friend, adviser."As the Pentagon chief, Cheney played a key role in directing the US invasion of Panama in 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in 1991 to push Iraq's troops out of Kuwait. Following his stint as defence secretary, Cheney briefly explored a run for president in the 1996 election cycle but decided against it, CNN said. During Democrat Bill Clinton's presidency, Cheney joined Dallas-based Halliburton Co. serving as its chief executive officer. Cheney is survived by Lynne, his daughters Liz and Mary Cheney and seven grandchildren. "We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man", the family said in a statement as reported by CNN. 

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.” He led the armed forces as defense chief during the Persian Gulf War under President George HW Bush before returning to public life as vice president under Bush's son, George W Bush.

Cheney was, in effect, the chief operating officer of the younger Bush's presidency. He had a strong command over decisions most important to the president while he lived with decades of heart disease and, post-administration, a heart transplant. Cheney consistently defended the extraordinary tools of surveillance, detention and inquisition employed in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.


(With inputs from agencies)