WANA (Nov 04) – Richard Bruce “Dick” Cheney, former Vice President of the United States under George W. Bush, passed away on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at the age of 84. A powerful yet controversial figure in Washington politics for over four decades, Cheney was among the most vocal advocates of aggressive U.S. policies in the Middle East and a proponent of “regime change” in the Islamic Republic of Iran — an ambition that now rests with him in his grave.

 

Born on January 30, 1941, in Nebraska, Cheney’s long political career spanned both executive and legislative branches. Before becoming Vice President, he served as White House Chief of Staff in the 1970s, as a Congressman representing Wyoming, and later as Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush. In the 1990s, he headed the oil services giant Halliburton, before joining George W. Bush’s presidential ticket in 2000.

 

During his vice presidency (2001–2009), Cheney played a central role in shaping the U.S. response to the September 11 attacks and crafting the doctrine of the “War on Terror.” He was a key advocate of the invasion of Iraq and a strong believer in the concept of “preemptive war,” arguing that the United States should act militarily against potential threats before they materialized.

Cheney was a persistent critic of diplomatic or moderate approaches in foreign policy, repeatedly promoting military and maximum-pressure options — particularly toward Iran. Critics, however, view him as one of the main architects of decisions that deepened regional instability and carried enormous political and human costs.

 

Various media investigations and research reports — including those examining covert cyber operations targeting Iran’s nuclear program — have cited Cheney as a supporter of clandestine and hardline measures, though many of these claims remain disputed or unproven.

 

Cheney’s legacy in American foreign policy, much like the man himself, remains dual-edged: admired by some for his decisiveness in times of crisis, and condemned by others for championing interventionist and militarized strategies. With his passing, Washington’s long-running debate over the use of force, covert operations, and regime change as tools of U.S. policy endures — but one of its most forceful voices has fallen silent.