- George
W. Bush honored Dick Cheney at his funeral service. - Called
Cheney “defender of the nation” and trusted advisor. - Praised
Cheney’s steady leadership during national challenges.
Cheney, one of the most significant and contentious vice
presidents in contemporary American history, serving under Bush from 2001 to
2009. Cheney passed away earlier this month at the age of 84.
As Cheney was honored for his decades of public service and
dedication to the nation, two former presidents Bush and Joe Biden as well as
four former vice presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore, and Dan Quayle
were present.
Trump and Vance were not invited to the memorial ceremony on
Thursday morning at Washington National Cathedral, despite the fact that
sitting presidents usually attend the funerals of past presidents and vice
presidents, a source told CNN.
After the events of January 6, 2021, the Cheney family and
Trump had a severe falling out, which was reflected in the seeming snub.
“At such a moment, most in this position would have
jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I
made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the
reasons I should not choose him,”
Bush said.
“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my
dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t
pick a better man,'”
he added.
Before the 2024 presidential election, Cheney supported
former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to his daughter.
After Cheney passed away on November 3, the current
president, Donald Trump, did not say much about him. In addition to not making
a statement regarding Cheney’s passing, Trump did not release the presidential
proclamation that usually follows the passing of prominent individuals.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the White House
lowered its flags to half-staff upon Cheney’s passing
“in accordance with
statutory law.”
Although several of Cheney’s actions proved to be very
controversial, particularly in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks on
the United States in 2001, Cheney was regarded by many as one of the most
important vice presidents in recent history.
In 1991, after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait,
he assisted in organizing the United States’ entry into the First Gulf War
while serving as defense secretary.
In particular, the 2003 invasion of Iraq served as a spark
for strong opposition in the US and other countries. By asserting that Saddam
was creating weapons of mass destruction and that he could be connected to
Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks,
President Bush’s administration and its allies were charged with creating a
false pretext for invasion.
Thousands of fighters and civilians were killed and injured
throughout the conflict, which was held responsible for the region’s
devastation and the ultimate emergence of the extremist organization Islamic
State.
Later, Cheney defended the invasion of Iraq, stating to the
Senate Intelligence Committee in 2014 that
“I would do it again in a
minute.”
His wife Lynne, daughters Liz and Mary, and seven grandkids
survive him.
What role did Cheney play in decisions about the Iraq War?
Cheney was an early and oral exponent of overrunning Iraq,
asserting that Saddam Hussein’s governance held munitions of mass destruction(
WMDs) and had ties to al- Qaeda, claims that were later discredited. He
laboriously shaped the Bush administration’s “ war on terror ” strategy and
made multitudinous public statements emphasizing the trouble posed by
Iraq.
Cheney supported programs during the occupation, including
the controversial disbanding of the Iraqi army and the debaathification
process, which critics say contributed to insecurity and insular
violence.
Cheney’s heritage is nearly tied to the Iraq War decision,
which remains a deeply controversial aspect of his vice administration due to
the war’s human, fiscal, and geopolitical costs.
