(Washington) The funeral of former American Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the main architects of the war in Iraq, took place Thursday in Washington in the presence of the country’s political elite, but without Donald Trump, not invited due to the mutual enmity between these two Republicans.
“During our years in office together, on the quiet days and the hardest, he was everything a president should expect from his number two,” said former President George W. Bush during the funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral.
His eight years in the White House, between 2001 and 2009, were spent alongside Dick Cheney as vice-president.
PHOTO MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former United States President George W. Bush
“In times of trial, Dick Cheney was a model of concentration, alertness, and composure,” added 43e president of the United States.
The former elected official from Wyoming, who died on November 3 from complications linked to pneumonia, was renowned as a man in the shadows, acting behind the scenes to influence in particular the foreign policy of the United States. To the point of being recognized as one of the most powerful vice-presidents in the history of the country.
In an era marked by terrorism, including domestic terrorism, war and economic change, this neoconservative will remain known as one of the interventionist “hawks” who played a central and highly controversial role in the decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
As Secretary of Defense between 1989 and 1993 under George Bush Sr., he orchestrated Operation Desert Storm against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait.
” Dedication ”
The former vice president was also one of the biggest defenders of America’s extensive interrogation techniques, widely considered torture.
The life of the former vice-president and in particular his time at the White House were immortalized in cinema in 2018 with the film Vice. When accepting the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance as Dick Cheney, Christian Bale said: “Thanks to Satan for giving me the inspiration on how to play this role.”
An unconditional Republican, Dick Cheney did not support Donald Trump in the last presidential election, judging him unfit to occupy the Oval Office. His daughter Liz, a former Republican elected to Congress, was one of the rare anti-Trump voices in his camp.
PHOTO MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Liz Cheney, the daughter of the ex-vice president
The current president did not offer any condolences for the man he described last year as “the king of endless and absurd wars, wasting lives and billions of dollars.”
A White House official told AFP on Thursday that Donald Trump had not been invited to the funeral.
Former President Joe Biden, as well as former Vice-Presidents Dan Quayle, Al Gore, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris were, however, present in the cathedral.
PHOTO SAUL LOEB, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence
“My father’s dedication to America was deep and substantial,” praised Liz Cheney from the lectern.
“When he was vice president, he wrote in a letter to all his grandchildren: ‘As you grow up, you will come to understand the sacrifices that each generation makes to preserve freedom and democracy for future generations,’” she said.
