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Encyclopedia > Dick Cheney

Updated 391 days 20 hours 58 minutes ago.
Richard Bruce Cheney
Dick Cheney

Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 20, 2001
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Albert Gore, Jr.
Succeeded by Incumbent

In office
March 21, 1989 – January 20, 1993
President George H. W. Bush
Preceded by Frank Carlucci
Succeeded by Les Aspin

In office
January 3, 1979 – March 20, 1989
Preceded by Teno Roncalio
Succeeded by Craig Thomas

In office
November 21, 1975 – 1977
Preceded by Donald Rumsfeld
Succeeded by Hamilton Jordan

Born January 30, 1941 (age 66)
Lincoln, Nebraska Flag of United States
Political party Republican
Spouse Lynne Cheney
Religion Methodist

Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. Previously, he served as White House Chief of Staff, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming, and Secretary of Defense. In the private sector, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Halliburton Energy Services; he is still a major stockholder. On June 29, 2002, he briefly assumed the powers and duties of the presidency as Acting President when Mr. Bush underwent a medical exam involving anesthetics. Image File history File links Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (81st in leap years). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... George Herbert Walker Bush GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America serving from 1989 to 1993. ... Frank Carlucci Frank Charles Carlucci III (born October 18, 1930) was a government official in the United States, associated with the Republican Party. ... Leslie Les Aspin, Jr. ... These are tables of members from Wyoming of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... All of the U.S. state of Wyoming is fully within one at large Congressional District making it the third largest in the nation. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Former U.S. Rep. ... Craig Lyle Thomas (born February 17, 1933) is a United States Senator from Wyoming. ... Joshua B. Bolten, the current White House Chief of Staff. ... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is a U.S. politician and businessman, who was the 13th Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975–1977, and the 21st Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush from 2001–2006. ... William Hamilton McWhorter Jordan (September 21, 1944) served as White House Chief of Staff in 1979 - 1980 and was a key advisor and strategist for President Jimmy Carter of the United States of America. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Nickname: Star City Location in Nebraska Coordinates: Country   State     County United States   Nebraska     Lancaster Founded[1]   Renamed   Incorporated 1856   July 29, 1867   April 1, 1869 Government  - Mayor Coleen Seng Area  - City 195. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Largest metro area Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. ... Lynne Ann Vincent Cheney (born August 14, 1941) is a novelist, conservative scholar, and former talk-show host who is the wife of Vice President Richard B. Cheney. ... This article is about the current denomination africa. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Joshua B. Bolten, the current White House Chief of Staff. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)  - Width 280 miles (450 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 0. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... The private sector of a nations economy consists of all that is outside the state. ... A Chairman is the presiding officer of a meeting, organization, committee, or other deliberative body. ... A Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or Chief Executive, is the highest-ranking corporate officer, administrator, corporate administrator, executive, or executive officer, in charge of total management of a corporation, company, organization or agency. ... Halliburton Energy Services (NYSE: HAL) is a multinational corporation with operations in over 120 countries. ... A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Acting President of the United States is a temporary office in the government of the United States, established under the auspices of the Constitution of the United States, particularly its 25th Amendment (ratified in 1967). ... Anesthesia or anaesthesia (see spelling differences) has traditionally meant the condition of having the perception of pain and other sensations blocked. ...


Although his last name is very often pronounced ['tʃeɪni] (chAYnee), the Vice President himself and his family pronounce it as ['tʃi:ni] (chEEnee).[1] A family name, or surname, is that part of a persons name that indicates to what family he or she belongs. ...

Contents

[edit] Early life and family

Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Richard Herbert Cheney and Marjorie Lorraine Dickey. He attended Calvert Elementary School[2][3] before his family moved to Casper, Wyoming,[4] where he attended Natrona County High School. His father was a soil conservation agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has a brother and a sister. He attended Yale University but transferred to the University of Wyoming where he earned both a B.A. and M.A. in political science.[4][5] Nickname: Star City Location in Nebraska Coordinates: Country   State     County United States   Nebraska     Lancaster Founded[1]   Renamed   Incorporated 1856   July 29, 1867   April 1, 1869 Government  - Mayor Coleen Seng Area  - City 195. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Largest metro area Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... Calvert Elementary School is one of 36 public primary schools in the Lincoln Public Schools school district of Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. It contains a computer lab, band room, gymnasium, library, and cafeteria (which doubles as an intramural event center). ... Downtown Casper Casper is a city located in Natrona County, Wyoming. ... Natrona County High School is a public secondary institution (grades 10-12) located in Casper, Wyoming and serves Natrona County School District #1. ... The United States Department of Agriculture (also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA) is a United States Federal Executive Department (or Cabinet Department). ... The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyomings high plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2194 m), between the Laramie and Medicine Bow mountain ranges. ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... MA or ma may stand for: ma, a two-letter English word meaning Mother Ma, transliteration of Chinese family name 馬,马,麻 etc. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political Science is the field concerning the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behaviour. ...


In 1964, he married Lynne Vincent, his high-school sweetheart, whom he had met at age fourteen. Mrs. Cheney served as Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 1986 to 1996. She is now a public speaker, author, and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Lynne Ann Vincent Cheney (born August 14, 1941) is a novelist, conservative scholar, and former talk-show host who is the wife of Vice President Richard B. Cheney. ... The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (Pub. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is a conservative think tank, founded in 1943, whose stated mission is to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism — limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and responsibility, vigilant and effective defense and foreign policies...


Cheney has two children, Elizabeth and Mary, and five grandchildren. Elizabeth, his eldest daughter, is married to Philip J. Perry, General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security. Mary is one of her father's top campaign aides and closest confidantes; she currently lives in Great Falls, Virginia. Her sexual orientation as a lesbian has become a source of increasing public attention for Dick Cheney in light of the same-sex marriage debate and Ms. Cheney's pregnancy. On August 25, 2004, Cheney said that same sex marriage is an issue that should be decided by individual states.[6] Elizabeth Cheney (born July 28, 1966), an American attorney and diplomat. ... Mary Claire Cheney (born March 14, 1969) is the second daughter of Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States, and his wife, Lynne Cheney. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), commonly known as Homeland Security, is a Cabinet department of the Federal Government of the United States with the responsibility of protecting the territory of the United States from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. ... Great Falls is the name of several places in the United States of America: Great Falls, Montana Great Falls, South Carolina Great Falls, Virginia it can also refer to: The Great Falls of the Missouri River in Montana The Great Falls of the Passaic River in New Jersey This is... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, normally conceived of as falling into several significant categories based around the sex or gender that the individual finds attractive. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... Same-sex marriage is a term for a governmentally, socially, or religiously recognized marriage in which two people of the same sex live together as a family. ... “Matrimony” redirects here. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Cheney attends the United Methodist Church. This article is about the current denomination africa. ...


[edit] Cheney and the draft

Cheney was of military age and a supporter of the Vietnam War but he did not serve in the war, applying for and receiving five draft deferments. In an interview with George C. Wilson that appeared in the April 5, 1989 issue of The Washington Post, when asked about his deferments the future Defense Secretary said, "I had other priorities in the '60s than military service."[7] In January 1959 Mr. Cheney reached age 18 and was classified as 1-A — available for service. At that time, however, the military was taking only older men, and like most others who were in college at the time (Cheney was at Yale) he had little concern about being drafted. In June 1962, Cheney left Yale to return home to Casper, where he worked as a lineman for a power company before enrolling at the University of Wyoming. In 1962, only 82,060 men were inducted into the service, the fewest since 1949. While Cheney was eligible for the draft, as he said during his confirmation hearings in 1989, he was not called up because the Selective Service System was taking only older men. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The United States has employed conscription (mandatory military service, also called the draft) several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... The Selective Service System is the means by which the United States administers military conscription. ...


By January 1963, with the US actively advising South Vietnamese forces, Cheney enrolled in Casper Community College and turned 22 that month. At that time, he sought his first student deferment which was granted on March 20, according to records from the Selective Service System. After transferring to the University of Wyoming at Laramie, Cheney sought his second student deferment on July 23, 1963. On August 7, 1964, Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to use military force in Vietnam. From that point on, American involvement in Vietnam began to escalate rapidly. March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ... The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyomings high plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2194 m), between the Laramie and Medicine Bow mountain ranges. ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... The Gulf of Tonkin is located to the south of China. ... “LBJ” redirects here. ...


On August 29, 1964, 22 days after the resolution, Cheney married his high school sweetheart, Lynne. He sought and was granted his third student deferment on October 14, 1964. In May 1965, Cheney graduated from college and his draft status changed to 1-A. Since he was married, however, he had somewhat better protection from being drafted. In July 1965, Johnson announced that he was doubling the number of men drafted. The number of inductions soared, to 382,010 in 1966 from 230,991 in 1965 and 112,386 in 1964. Cheney obtained his fourth deferment because he started graduate school at the University of Wyoming on November 1, 1965. August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...


On October 6, 1965, the Selective Service lifted its ban against drafting married men who had no children. On January 19, 1966, when his wife was about 10 weeks pregnant, Mr. Cheney applied for 3-A status, the "hardship" exemption, which excluded men with children or dependent parents. It was granted. In January 1967, Cheney turned 26 and was no longer eligible for the draft.[8] October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...


[edit] Political career

[edit] Early White House appointments

Cheney at the White House with another member of the Ford administration, September 1976.
Cheney at the White House with another member of the Ford administration, September 1976.

Dick Cheney's political career began in 1969, as an intern during the Nixon administration. The intern Cheney then joined the staff of Donald Rumsfeld, who was then Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity from 1969–70. He held a number of positions in the years that followed: White House staff assistant in 1971, assistant director of the Cost of Living Council from 1971–73, and Deputy Assistant to the President from 1974–1975. From 1973–1974, Cheney worked in the private sector as vice president of Bradley, Woods, and Company, an investment firm.[9] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3480x2928, 1399 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3480x2928, 1399 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is a U.S. politician and businessman, who was the 13th Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975–1977, and the 21st Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush from 2001–2006. ... The Office of Economic Opportunity was the agency responsible for administering most of the War on Poverty programs created during United States President Lyndon B. Johnsons Administration. ...

White House Chief of Staff Cheney (right) and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (left) meet with President Ford at the White House, April 1975.
White House Chief of Staff Cheney (right) and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (left) meet with President Ford at the White House, April 1975.

Under President Gerald Ford, Cheney worked as Assistant to the President. Rumsfeld first oversaw Ford's White House "transition team" and then later became Ford's Chief of Staff. In what was later termed by political insiders as the "Halloween Massacre", Cheney and Rumsfeld began consolidating political power by replacing or re-assigning high-ranking government officials. An article in Rolling Stone later summed up the changes as, "Having turned Ford into their instrument, Rumsfeld and Cheney staged a palace coup. They pushed Ford to fire Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, tell Vice President Nelson Rockefeller to look for another job and remove Henry Kissinger from his post as National Security Advisor. Rumsfeld was named Secretary of Defense, and Cheney became chief of staff to the president."[10] In addition, Cheney and Rumsfeld successfully pushed for William Colby to be replaced by George H. W. Bush as the Director of the CIA, forging what would become a long-term relationship with the future president. Image File history File links Ford_meets_with_Rumsfeld_and_Cheney,_April_28,_1975. ... Image File history File links Ford_meets_with_Rumsfeld_and_Cheney,_April_28,_1975. ... Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is a U.S. politician and businessman, who was the 13th Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975–1977, and the 21st Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush from 2001–2006. ... Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... The term Chief of Staff can refer to: The White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. ... The Halloween Massacre (November 4, 1975) was the term given by political commentators to U.S. President Gerald R. Fords reorganization of his Cabinet. ... This article is about the magazine. ... James Rodney Schlesinger (born 15 February 1929) was United States Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1974 under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. ... Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was an American Vice President, governor of New York State, philanthropist and businessman. ... Henry Alfred Kissinger (born Heinz Alfred Kissinger on May 27, 1923 in Fürth) is a German-born American diplomat, and 1973 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. ... The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Joshua B. Bolten, the current White House Chief of Staff. ... William Egan Colby (January 4, 1920 – April 27, 1996) became Director of Central Intelligence on September 4, 1973, after James R. Schlesinger. ... George Herbert Walker Bush GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America serving from 1989 to 1993. ... ...


Cheney was campaign manager for Ford's 1976 presidential campaign, while James Baker served as campaign chairman. Presidential electoral votes by state. ... James Addison Baker III (born 28 April 1930 in Houston, Texas) served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagans first administration, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the administration of President George H...


[edit] Congress

The Dick Cheney Federal Building in Casper, Wyoming.
The Dick Cheney Federal Building in Casper, Wyoming.

In 1978, Cheney was elected to represent Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives to replace resigning Congressman Teno Roncalio, defeating his Democrat opponent, Bill Bailey. He was Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987 when he was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference. The following year, he was elected House Minority Whip. Cheney was reelected five times, serving until 1989. Download high resolution version (879x602, 117 KB) The Dick Cheney Federal Building in Casper, Wyoming. ... Download high resolution version (879x602, 117 KB) The Dick Cheney Federal Building in Casper, Wyoming. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)  - Width 280 miles (450 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 0. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Former U.S. Rep. ... Mark Bill Bailey (born 24 February 1964, Bath, Somerset) is an English comedian, actor, and musician known for appearing on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, QI: Quite Interesting and Black Books as well as his stand up comedy. ... The House Republican Conference, sometimes known as the House Republican Leadership Conference, is an organization for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. ... The Minority Whip is a member of the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives who assists the Minority Leader in coordinating the party caucus in its responses to legislation and other matters. ...


Among the many votes he cast during his tenure in the House, he voted in 1979 with the majority against making Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a national holiday, and again voted with the majority in 1983 when the measure passed. Martin Luther King, Jr. ...


He voted against the creation of the U.S. Department of Education, citing his concern over budget deficits and expansion of the federal government. He also claimed the department was an encroachment on states' rights.[11] The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building[1]) , ED headquarters in Washington, DC A construction project to repair and update the building facade at the Department of Education Headquarters building in 2002 resulted in the installation of structures at all of the entrances to protect employees and visitors from...


He also voted against funding Head Start. As a vice presidential candidate in 2000, he reversed his position.[12] Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that focuses on assisting children from low-income families. ...


In 1986, after President Reagan vetoed a bill to impose economic sanctions against South Africa for its official policy of apartheid, Cheney was one of 83 Representatives who voted against overriding the veto. In later years, Cheney articulated his opposition to "unilateral sanctions," against many different countries, stating "they almost never work."[13] He also opposed unilateral sanctions against communist Cuba, and later in his career he would support multilateral sanctions against Iraq. However the comparison to Cuba is not exactly apt, as the European Community had voted to place limited sanctions upon South Africa in 1986. Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...


In 1986, Cheney, along with 145 Republicans and 31 Democrats, voted against a nonbinding Congressional resolution calling on the South African government to release Nelson Mandela from prison, after the majority Democrats defeated proposed amendments to the language that would have required Mandela to renounce violence sponsored by the ANC and requiring the ANC to oust the Communist faction from leadership. The resolution was defeated. Appearing on CNN during the Presidential campaign in 2000, Cheney addressed criticism for this, saying he opposed the resolution because the ANC "at the time was viewed as a terrorist organization and had a number of interests that were fundamentally inimical to the United States."[14] Mandela redirects here. ... For political parties with similar names in other countries, see Northern Rhodesian African National Congress and Zambian African National Congress. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...


As a Wyoming representative, he was also known for his vigorous advocacy of the state's petroleum and coal businesses. The federal building in Casper, a regional center of the oil and coal business, was named the "Dick Cheney Federal Building." Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Downtown Casper Casper is a city located in Natrona County, Wyoming. ...

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2401x3000, 1449 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2401x3000, 1449 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense...

[edit] House Minority Whip

In December 1988, the House Republicans elected Cheney to the second spot in the leadership, but he only served two and a half months, as he was appointed Secretary of Defense (see below) to replace former Texas Senator John G. Tower, whose nomination had been rejected by the Senate in March of 1989. John Goodwin Tower (September 29, 1925 – April 5, 1991) was a conservative Republican United States Senator from Houston, Texas. ...


[edit] Secretary of Defense

Cheney served as the Secretary of Defense from March 1989 to January 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. He directed the United States invasion of Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East. In 1991 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for "preserving America's defenses at a time of great change around the world."[15] The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... George Herbert Walker Bush GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America serving from 1989 to 1993. ... Combatants United States Panama Commanders Carl W. Stiner Manuel Noriega Strength 27,684+ 16,000+ Casualties 24 Dead, 325 Wounded 450 Military, 514-4,000 Civilian Rangers from Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment prepare to take La Comandancia in the El Chorrillo neighborhood of Panama City, December 1989. ... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush, Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan Al-Majid, Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 ~545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also Persian... The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other major civilian award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, which...


[edit] Early tenure

Cheney generally focused on external matters and delegated most internal Pentagon management details to Deputy Secretary of Defense Donald J. Atwood, Jr. He worked closely with Pete Williams, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, and Paul Wolfowitz, under secretary of defense for policy. For chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff he selected General Colin Powell, who assumed the post on October 1, 1989. Many of Cheney's major decisions resulted from the almost daily meetings he had in the Pentagon with Powell and Atwood. Pete Williams as Assistant Secretary of Defense at a press briefing, 1991. ... Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (b. ... Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America symbol The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a grouping comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the armed services in the United States armed forces. ... General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Cheney met regularly with Bush and other top-level members of the administration, including Secretary of State James Baker, national security adviser Brent Scowcroft, White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu, and General Powell. Occasionally Bush consulted with Cheney on matters unrelated to defense, such as White House organization and management. When not at the White House, Cheney was often on Capitol Hill. He understood how Congress, and more particularly the legislative process, operated, and he used this knowledge and experience to avoid the kind of difficulties Caspar Weinberger had encountered with Congress. In general Cheney got along well with Congress and with the Department of Defense's main oversight committees in the House and the Senate, though he suffered disappointments and frustrations. James Addison Baker III (born 28 April 1930 in Houston, Texas) served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagans first administration, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the administration of President George H... Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft KBE (born March 19, 1925 in Ogden, Utah), USAF (Ret. ... Governor John H. Sununu John Henry Sununu, PhD (born July 2, 1939) is a former Governor of New Hampshire (1983-89) and former White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush. ... Capitol Hill is the name of a district in the following cities: Capitol Hill, Denver, Colorado Capitol Hill, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington Capitol Hill, Washington, DC It is also a common nickname for the United States Congress and the politicians who serve it (e. ... Caspar Willard Cap Weinberger, GBE (August 18, 1917 – March 28, 2006), was an American politician and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld. ...


[edit] Political climate and agenda

Although some of the usual turf battles between the State and Defense Departments continued during his term, Cheney and Secretary of State Baker were old friends and avoided the acrimony that sometimes occurred between the two departments during the Weinberger period. On the important problem of arms control, Cheney and Powell tried to reach consensus on Department of Defense's position in order to deal more effectively with the State Department. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cheney worried about the dangers of nuclear proliferation and effective control of nuclear weapons from the Soviet nuclear arsenal that had come under the control of newly independent republics — Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan — as well as in Russia itself. Cheney warned about the possibility that other nations, such as Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, would acquire nuclear components after the Soviet collapse. He supported the initiatives that Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin took in 1991 and 1992 to cut back the production and deployment of nuclear weapons and to move toward new arms control agreements. The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... World map with nuclear weapons development status represented by color. ... “Yeltsin” redirects here. ...


The end of the Cold War, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact obliged the Bush administration to reevaluate NATO's purpose and makeup. How to restructure the alliance and modify its strategy to reflect changes in the military situation posed major questions for Cheney. He believed that NATO had to remain the foundation of European security relationships and that it would continue to be important to the United States in the long term. At the last NATO meeting he attended, in Brussels in December 1992, Cheney said that the alliance needed to lend more assistance to the new democracies in Eastern Europe and eventually offer them membership in NATO. Central and Eastern Europe, he told his NATO colleagues, presented the most threatening potential security problems in the years ahead. The current problem, rather than East versus West, was East and West versus instability. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement about airlines financial liability and the Treaty of Warsaw (1970) between West Germany and the Peoples Republic of Poland. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... Nickname: The Capital Of Europe, Comic City City of a 100 Museums[] Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area    - City 162 (Region) km²  (62. ... Regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations[1] (UN definition of Eastern Europe marked salmon):  Northern Europe  Western Europe  Eastern Europe  Southern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current national boundaries: Russia (dark orange), other countries of the former USSR...


Cheney's views on NATO reflected his skepticism about prospects for peaceful evolution in the former Soviet areas. He saw high potential for uncertainty and instability, and he felt that the Bush administration was too optimistic in supporting Mikhail Gorbachev and his successor, Boris Yeltsin. Cheney believed that as the United States downsized its military forces, reduced its troops in Europe, and moved forward with arms control, it needed to keep a watchful eye on Russia and other successor states of the Soviet Union.


[edit] Budgetary practices

The Department of Defense budget faced Cheney with his most immediate and pressing problem when he came to the Pentagon. President Bush had already said publicly that the proposed FY 1990 Defense budget of more than $300 billion had to be cut immediately by $6.3 billion, and soon after Cheney began work the president increased the amount to $10 billion.[citation needed] Cheney recognized the necessity of cutting the budget and downsizing the military establishment, but he favored a cautious approach. In making decisions on the FY 1990 budget, the secretary had to confront the wish list of each of the services. The Air Force wanted to buy 312 B-2 stealth bombers at over $500 million each; the Marine Corps wanted 12 V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor helicopters, $136 million each; the Army wanted some $240 million in FY 1990 to move toward production of the LHX, a new reconnaissance and attack helicopter, to cost $33 billion eventually; and the Navy wanted 5 Aegis guided-missile destroyers, at a cost of $3.6 billion. A policy on ballistic missiles also posed a difficult choice. One option was to build 50 more MX missiles to join the 50 already on hand, at a cost of about $10 billion. A decision had to be made on how to base the MX—whether on railroad cars or in some other mode. Another option was to build 500 single-warhead Midgetman missiles, still in the development stage, at an estimated cost of $24 billion.[citation needed] The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a multi-role stealth bomber able to drop conventional and nuclear weapons. ... The V-22 Osprey is a joint service, multi-mission military aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. ... LHX Attack Chopper is a 1990 war helicopter PC simulation game by Electronic Arts. ... USS Lake Champlain, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser, launched in 1987. ... Test launch of Peacekeeper ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, CA (USAF) The LG-118A Peacekeeper is a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. ... A Midgetman test launch The MGM-134 Midgetman, also known as the SICBM (see below), was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the United States of America. ...


In April, Cheney recommended to Bush that the United States move ahead to deploy the 50 MXs and discontinue the Midgetman project. While not unalterably opposed to the Midgetman, Cheney questioned how to pay for it in a time of shrinking defense budgets. Cheney's plan encountered opposition both inside the administration and in Congress. Bush decided not to take Cheney's advice; he said he would seek funding to put the MXs on railroad cars by the mid-1990s and to develop the Midgetman, with a goal of 250 to 500.[citation needed]

Secretary of Defense Cheney delivering a speech before the launch of a new destroyer.
Secretary of Defense Cheney delivering a speech before the launch of a new destroyer.

When Cheney's FY 1990 budget came before Congress in the summer of 1989, the Senate Armed Services Committee made only minor amendments, but the House Armed Services Committee cut the strategic accounts and favored the V-22, F-14D, and other projects not high on Cheney's list. The House and Senate in November 1989 finally settled on a budget somewhere between the preferences of the administration and the House committee. Congress avoided a final decision on the MX/Midgetman issue by authorizing a $1 billion missile modernization account to be apportioned as the president saw fit. Funding for the F-14D was to continue for another year, providing 18 more aircraft in the program. Congress authorized only research funds for the V-22 and cut the Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") funding more than $1 billion, much to the displeasure of President Bush.[citation needed] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2830x1860, 2706 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2830x1860, 2706 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a United States Navy supersonic, twin-engine, swing-wing, two-seat interceptor. ... The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), commonly called Star Wars after the popular science fiction movies of the time, was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983[1] to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic...


In subsequent years under Cheney the budgets proposed and the final outcomes followed patterns similar to the FY 1990 budget experience. Early in 1991 the secretary unveiled a plan to reduce military strength by the mid-1990s to 1.6 million, compared to 2.2 million when he entered office. In his budget proposal for FY 1993, his last one, Cheney asked for termination of the B-2 program at 20 aircraft, cancellation of the Midgetman, and limitations on advanced cruise missile purchases to those already authorized. When introducing this budget, Cheney complained that Congress had directed Defense to buy weapons it did not want, including the V-22, M-1 tanks, and F-14 and F-16 aircraft, and required it to maintain some unneeded reserve forces. His plan outlined about $50 billion less in budget authority over the next 5 years than the Bush administration had proposed in 1991. Sen. Sam Nunn of the Senate Armed Services Committee said that the 5-year cuts ought to be $85 billion, and Rep. Les Aspin of the House Armed Services Committee put the figure at $91 billion.[citation needed] The M1 Abrams main battle tank is the principal combat tank of the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, with three main versions being deployed starting in 1980: the M1, M1A1, and M1A2. ... Sailors prepare an F-14 Tomcat for flight on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003). ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a modern multi-role jet fighter aircraft built in the United States and used by dozens of countries all over the world. ... Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. ... The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nations military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other... Leslie Les Aspin, Jr. ... The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ...


Over Cheney's four years as secretary of defense, encompassing budgets for fiscal years 1990-93, the Department of Defense's total obligational authority in current dollars declined from $291.3 billion to $269.9 billion. Except for FY 1991, when the TOA budget increased by 1.7 percent, the Cheney budgets showed negative real growth: -2.9 percent in 1990, -9.8 percent in 1992, and -8.1 percent in 1993. During this same period total military personnel declined by 19.4 percent, from 2.202 million in FY 1989 to 1.776 million in FY 1993. The Army took the largest cut, from 770,000 to 572,000-25.8 percent of its strength. The Air Force declined by 22.3 percent, the Navy by 14 percent, and the Marines by 9.7 percent.[citation needed]


The V-22 question caused friction between Cheney and Congress throughout his tenure. The Department of Defense spent some of the money Congress appropriated to develop the aircraft, but congressional sources accused Cheney, who continued to oppose the Osprey, of violating the law by not moving ahead as Congress had directed. Cheney argued that building and testing the prototype Osprey would cost more than the amount appropriated. In the spring of 1992 several congressional supporters of the V-22 threatened to take Cheney to court over the issue. A little later, in the face of suggestions from congressional Republicans that Cheney's opposition to the Osprey was hurting President Bush's reelection campaign, especially in Texas and Pennsylvania where the aircraft would be built, Cheney relented and suggested spending $1.5 billion in fiscal years 1992 and 1993 to develop it. He made clear that he personally still opposed the Osprey and favored a less costly alternative.[citation needed]


[edit] International situations

Panama, controlled by General Manuel Antonio Noriega, the head of the country's military, against whom a U.S. grand jury had entered an indictment for drug trafficking in February 1988, held Cheney's attention almost from the time he took office. Using economic sanctions and political pressure, the United States mounted a campaign to drive Noriega from power. In May 1989 after Guillermo Endara had been duly elected president of Panama, Noriega nullified the election outcome, incurring intensified U.S. pressure on him. In October Noriega succeeded in quelling a military coup, but in December, after his defense forces shot a U.S. serviceman, 24,000 U.S. troops invaded Panama. Within a few days they achieved control and Endara assumed the presidency. U.S. forces arrested Noriega and flew him to Miami where he was held until his trial, which led to his conviction and imprisonment on racketeering and drug trafficking charges in April 1992. Manuel Noriega Date of birth February 11, 1938 Place of birth Panama City, Panama Occupation Career soldier Education Military School de Chorrilos Lima, Peru School of the Americas Panama Remarks Allegedly a participant in the military coup détat to overthrow Arnulfo Arias. ... Guillermo David Endara Galimany (born 12 May 1936 in Panama City) is a Panamanian politician. ...


Cheney took a strong stand against use of U.S. ground troops in the Bosnian War between Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks that began in April 1992. After the collapse of a collective presidency in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, the country split into several independent republics, including the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which declared its independence in March 1992. Whether and how to intervene in Bosnia evoked an emotional debate in the United States, but Cheney left office before any firm decisions were made, and his successors inherited the knotty issue. Combatants Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Predominantly Bosniak) Army of Republika Srpska, Yugoslav Peoples Army, various paramilitary units from Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian) Croatian Defence Council, Croatian Army (Croatian) Commanders Alija Izetbegović (President of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Sefer Halilović (Army chief of staff 1992-1993) Rasim... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in Latin, Југославија in Cyrillic, English: Land of the South Slavs) describes four political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... Motto: none Anthem: Intermeco Capital Sarajevo Largest city Sarajevo Official language(s) Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Government Presidents Prime Minister Federal republic Sulejman Tihić1 (Bosniak) Borislav Paravac (Serb) Ivo Miro Jović (Croat) Adnan Terzic Independence From Yugoslavia Declared 5 April 1992 Area  - Total    - Water (%)   51,129 km² (124th) 19,741...


In Somalia also, a civil war that began in 1991 claimed the world's attention. In August 1992 the United States began to provide humanitarian assistance, primarily food, through a military airlift. In December, only a month before he left office, at President Bush's direction Cheney dispatched the first of 26,000 U.S. troops to Somalia as part of the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), designed to provide security and food relief. Cheney's successors as secretary of defense, Les Aspin and William J. Perry, had to contend with both the Bosnian and Somali issues. Early History The original settlers of the Somali region were ethnic Cushites from the fertile lakes of southern Ethiopia. ... Leslie Les Aspin, Jr. ... Alternative meaning: William Perry (football) William James Perry (born October 11, 1927) was the U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from February 3, 1994 to January 23, 1997. ...


[edit] Iraq invasion of Kuwait

Secretary of Defense Cheney during a press conference regarding the Gulf War.
Secretary of Defense Cheney during a press conference regarding the Gulf War.

Cheney's biggest challenge came in the Persian Gulf. On August 1, 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sent invading forces into neighboring Kuwait, a small oil-rich country long claimed by Iraq. An estimated 140,000 Iraqi troops quickly took control of Kuwait City and moved on to the Saudi Arabia/Kuwait border. Cheney regarded Iraq's intrusion into Kuwait as a grave threat to U.S. interests. The United States had already begun to develop contingency plans for defense of Saudi Arabia by the U.S. Central Command, headed by General Norman Schwarzkopf. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2860x1910, 2665 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2860x1910, 2665 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dick Cheney ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: [1]; April 28, 1937[2] – December 30, 2006[3]), was the President of Iraq from July 16, 1979, until April 9, 2003. ... Combatants UN Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf, Peter de la Billière, Khalid bin Sultan, Saleh Al-Muhaya, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 378 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 dead, 75,000 wounded The Gulf War or the Persian Gulf War... Kuwait City Kuwait City (also Al-Kuwait - الكويت), population 32,403 (2005 Census), is the capital of the emirate of Kuwait and part of the Al-Asimah governorate. ... Emblem of the United States Central Command. ... Norman Schwarzkopf can refer to: Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr. ...


Shortly after the Iraqi invasion, Cheney made the first of several visits to Saudi Arabia and secured