The man who shaped America’s ‘War on Terror’ is gone. Dick Cheney, the former U.S. Vice President under George W. Bush, has died at 84, leaving behind a legacy that’s as complex as it is controversial. But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Cheney’s political journey didn’t end with his vice presidency. From being the youngest White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford to representing Wyoming in Congress and serving as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, his career was a masterclass in political influence. Yet, despite his hardline conservative roots, Cheney’s later years were marked by a stunning break from the Republican Party, as he openly criticized Donald Trump and even endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024. And this is the part most people miss: Cheney’s defining moment wasn’t just his role in the Iraq War or his unapologetic defense of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’—it was his response to 9/11. On that fateful day, Cheney made the unprecedented decision to authorize the shooting down of hijacked planes, a move that underscored the gravity of the crisis. ‘The city was under attack, and the White House was a target,’ he later wrote in his memoir, In My Time. But here’s the controversial part: While Cheney defended waterboarding and indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay as necessary tools in the fight against terror, critics argue these actions crossed moral and legal lines. Did his policies make America safer, or did they tarnish its global image? Cheney’s health battles—surviving multiple heart attacks and undergoing a heart transplant in 2012—added another layer to his story, proving he was as resilient in life as he was in politics. Love him or loathe him, Dick Cheney’s impact on modern U.S. history is undeniable. So, here’s the question: Was Cheney a patriot who made tough choices in a time of crisis, or a symbol of the excesses of post-9/11 America? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
