Former US Vice President and architect of the Iraq War, Dick Cheney, has been laid to rest at a somber memorial attended by a bipartisan group of former presidents and officials. The ceremony took place at Washington DC's National Cathedral, where top officials including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Joe Biden paid their respects.
Cheney served under President George W Bush from 2001 to 2009, spearheading the invasion of Iraq and crafting key policies during the so-called "war on terror". His legacy is marked by controversy, particularly with regards to human rights abuses. The somber memorial made little mention of the war in Iraq, a campaign that Cheney played a central role in advancing through false claims and deception.
Born in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming, Cheney rose to prominence as chief of staff to President Gerald Ford at just 34 years old. He later served as defence secretary under George HW Bush before becoming vice president under his son. It was during this time that Cheney advanced the false narrative that Iraq held "weapons of mass destruction", a claim that justified the US invasion.
Critics point to the devastating consequences of Cheney's policies, including the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan. The conflict in Afghanistan stretched on for two decades, closing in 2021, while the resulting violence across the Middle East caused 940,000 direct deaths, including 432,000 civilians.
Despite his role as one of the most influential vice presidents in US history, Cheney had largely fallen out of favour with the Republican Party over the last 15 years. He became a vocal critic of President Trump, denouncing his efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Cheney's daughter Liz paid tribute to her father at the funeral, describing him as "a giant" who loved and served the US with kindness and love. In her remarks, she remembered Cheney as a source of safety, laughter, and kindness, but also acknowledged the controversy surrounding his legacy.
In contrast, President Trump and current Vice President JD Vance were reportedly not invited to attend the funeral, sparking speculation about their relationships with Cheney's family and their own legacies.
Cheney served under President George W Bush from 2001 to 2009, spearheading the invasion of Iraq and crafting key policies during the so-called "war on terror". His legacy is marked by controversy, particularly with regards to human rights abuses. The somber memorial made little mention of the war in Iraq, a campaign that Cheney played a central role in advancing through false claims and deception.
Born in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming, Cheney rose to prominence as chief of staff to President Gerald Ford at just 34 years old. He later served as defence secretary under George HW Bush before becoming vice president under his son. It was during this time that Cheney advanced the false narrative that Iraq held "weapons of mass destruction", a claim that justified the US invasion.
Critics point to the devastating consequences of Cheney's policies, including the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan. The conflict in Afghanistan stretched on for two decades, closing in 2021, while the resulting violence across the Middle East caused 940,000 direct deaths, including 432,000 civilians.
Despite his role as one of the most influential vice presidents in US history, Cheney had largely fallen out of favour with the Republican Party over the last 15 years. He became a vocal critic of President Trump, denouncing his efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Cheney's daughter Liz paid tribute to her father at the funeral, describing him as "a giant" who loved and served the US with kindness and love. In her remarks, she remembered Cheney as a source of safety, laughter, and kindness, but also acknowledged the controversy surrounding his legacy.
In contrast, President Trump and current Vice President JD Vance were reportedly not invited to attend the funeral, sparking speculation about their relationships with Cheney's family and their own legacies.
It's kinda weird that they didn't mention the Iraq war in the memorial service for Dick Cheney... I mean, he was a super key player in it and all... 
The fact that his daughter Liz is talking about how her dad was "a giant" who loved & served the US with kindness & love, but also acknowledging the controversy surrounding his legacy, shows that even though they're trying to focus on the positive side of things, some people are still gonna bring up the negative stuff... 
And what's up with Trump not getting an invite? Guess you could say he's still got a bit of a grudge against Cheney's family or something 
... and now they're having a bipartisan funeral 
... it's like, let's not forget the past, fam 
... but at the same time, his daughter Liz is trying to paint a more positive picture of her dad... i get that she wants to honor him, but can't we have a little nuance here? 
. Honestly it felt weird how they didn't mention Iraq war at all... like what's the point of having a national memorial if you're gonna gloss over the bad stuff that happened under your watch? 
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. It's a shame we won't be seeing more from her in terms of advocacy work, since she seemed like the only one speaking out against some of her dad's questionable decisions 
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. It's not just about remembering a figure from history; it's also about learning from their actions and trying to make sense of their legacies 
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. Maybe there are some unresolved issues or family dynamics at play here, but either way, it adds another layer of complexity to Cheney's legacy 
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This feels like we're just dusting off an old wound. I mean, I get it, it's a somber moment for his family and all that 
And what really gets me is how Kamala Harris just showed up without any mention of her role in the conflict as VP. Like, hello, you were part of it too, right? 
Anyway, I'm kinda glad Trump and JD Vance didn't show up, that's just gonna stir up more drama... but seriously, can we just focus on moving forward from this?