The late Dick Cheney left an indelible stain on humanity's collective conscience. As the chief architect of the US-led "Global War on Terror", he was instrumental in orchestrating a series of catastrophic conflicts that have ravaged countless nations and communities, leaving behind a trail of death, destruction, and suffering.
Cheney's tenure as Vice President under George W Bush was marked by a brazen disregard for truth and an insatiable appetite for war. His most egregious contribution to the Iraq War was his repeated claims about the country's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction, which he used as a pretext for invading the nation in 2003. The US intelligence community later revealed that these claims were baseless and fabricated, but Cheney persisted in his lies, cementing his reputation as one of the most notorious war liars in American history.
The consequences of Cheney's actions are still being felt today. Iraq has been left to pick up the pieces, struggling with a legacy of environmental degradation and health problems caused by the US military's use of depleted uranium. The country remains a hotspot for cancer rates, with many victims blaming the toxic fallout from the war on their illnesses.
But Cheney's role in perpetuating mass violence extends far beyond Iraq. In 1989, he oversaw the US invasion of Panama, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and left the city of El Chorrillo scarred for generations to come. This early test run for Cheney's war-making skills served as a precursor to his more notorious actions in Iraq.
Cheney's legacy is also marked by his unwavering support for torture and other forms of "enhanced interrogation". Despite mounting evidence that such methods are inhumane and ineffective, he has consistently defended them, stating that he would have repeated the practice even if he were subjected to it himself. This callous disregard for human dignity and the rule of law is a hallmark of his character.
As news agencies and media outlets eulogise Cheney as a "polarising" figure, they rarely acknowledge the full extent of his culpability in perpetuating global violence and suffering. The corporate media's instinct to sanitise even the most egregious war criminals is a symptom of a broader problem β a reluctance to hold those in power accountable for their actions.
The passing of Dick Cheney serves as a reminder that those who perpetrate mass atrocities will never be held fully accountable. However, it also highlights the importance of continued activism and resistance against the forces of militarism and oppression. As we move forward, it is essential that we remember the lessons of history and work towards creating a world where such horrors are never repeated.
Cheney's tenure as Vice President under George W Bush was marked by a brazen disregard for truth and an insatiable appetite for war. His most egregious contribution to the Iraq War was his repeated claims about the country's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction, which he used as a pretext for invading the nation in 2003. The US intelligence community later revealed that these claims were baseless and fabricated, but Cheney persisted in his lies, cementing his reputation as one of the most notorious war liars in American history.
The consequences of Cheney's actions are still being felt today. Iraq has been left to pick up the pieces, struggling with a legacy of environmental degradation and health problems caused by the US military's use of depleted uranium. The country remains a hotspot for cancer rates, with many victims blaming the toxic fallout from the war on their illnesses.
But Cheney's role in perpetuating mass violence extends far beyond Iraq. In 1989, he oversaw the US invasion of Panama, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and left the city of El Chorrillo scarred for generations to come. This early test run for Cheney's war-making skills served as a precursor to his more notorious actions in Iraq.
Cheney's legacy is also marked by his unwavering support for torture and other forms of "enhanced interrogation". Despite mounting evidence that such methods are inhumane and ineffective, he has consistently defended them, stating that he would have repeated the practice even if he were subjected to it himself. This callous disregard for human dignity and the rule of law is a hallmark of his character.
As news agencies and media outlets eulogise Cheney as a "polarising" figure, they rarely acknowledge the full extent of his culpability in perpetuating global violence and suffering. The corporate media's instinct to sanitise even the most egregious war criminals is a symptom of a broader problem β a reluctance to hold those in power accountable for their actions.
The passing of Dick Cheney serves as a reminder that those who perpetrate mass atrocities will never be held fully accountable. However, it also highlights the importance of continued activism and resistance against the forces of militarism and oppression. As we move forward, it is essential that we remember the lessons of history and work towards creating a world where such horrors are never repeated.