(Washington, D.C.) Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney died Monday (November 3) at the age of 84. He was hailed by presidential historians as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history.
The Republican, Cheney, a former Wyoming congressman and Secretary of Defense, is considered one of the key architects of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. Another strong advocate for the invasion was then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Cheney was one of the most outspoken officials in the Bush administration in warning of Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction; however, no such weapons were ultimately found. For years afterward, Cheney maintained that, based on intelligence at the time, the invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein were the right decisions.
His family said in a statement Tuesday (November 4) that Cheney died from complications of pneumonia and cardiovascular disease.
Cheney was already a prominent figure in Washington politics when he was chosen as the running mate of then-Texas Governor George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. Bush ultimately won the election, and Cheney served two terms as vice president during George W. Bush's presidency.
Further Reading
During his tenure as Vice President from 2001 to 2009, Cheney actively sought to expand presidential power and assembled a national security team. This team formed its own power center within the government, thereby expanding the influence of the Vice President's office.
