Dick Cheney: Where is he now?
Photo courtesy of David Bohrer/Wikimedia Commons
Pictured is disgraced former vice president Dick Cheney, who recently passed away.
As of last week? Hell.
The former vice president’s death on Nov. 3 has renewed public focus on Cheney’s actions during life, reminding us that the defining trait of his entire political career was a complete disregard for human life and wellbeing.
His efforts in launching and sustaining the Iraq war are a prime example of this blatant disregard. Cheney used his position of power in the aftermath of 9/11 to capitalize off America’s fear and begin the Iraq war under the guise of protecting the American people against the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that Iraq supposedly possessed. However, as a top official of the American government, Cheney would have been well aware of the fact, even before the war began, that Iraq was not in possession of any.
Robert E. Kelley, the Deputy for Analysis of the International Atomic Energy Agency Action Team during 2002-2003, states that “the intelligence [officials] in Washington, DC, London and other capitals had chosen to listen to was inadequate and flawed. But there was plenty more information that they ignored, much of it coming from many weapons inspectors working inside Iraq—including US nuclear experts—under UN mandate for four months in 2002–2003.”
Kelley’s testimony exposes the true malice behind the actions of Cheney and his colleagues— they knew that Iraq posed no nuclear threat, and decided to ignore this information. Even more sinister, when asked about this in an interview aired on CNN after this information was exposed to the public, Cheney said, “I think we made exactly the right decisions.” As reported by NBC News, 4,492 US servicemen and over 200,000 Iraqi civilians were killed during the Iraqi war.
Cheney is not only guilty of crimes on Iraqi soil, but American soil as well. Cheney personally implemented and over saw the interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay, many of which are considered torture. In response to questions about the prison’s common practice of waterboarding, according to the ACLU, Cheney stated he would “strongly support waterboarding if it were the only way to get a ‘high value detainee’ to talk.” Cheney also falsely claimed that the USA did not classify waterboarding as torture in the past when it was performed on American prisoners of war in Japan.
He even ordered personnel at Guantanamo Bay to forcibly rectally feed and hydrate prisoners who attempted to hunger strike. The haunting drawings of Abu Zabaydah—known as a “forever prisoner” beause he has been held for over 20 years under no charges—gave graphic accounts of the physical, sexual, and psychological torture practiced. Cheney’s thoughts about the policies he implemented, seemingly designed to cause maximum human suffering? According to a Politico article, “I'd do it again in a minute.”
So yes, if he has been rewarded with consciousness after death, it is my thought that he should find himself in Hell, being tortured the same way he felt so comfortable torturing others. If supporters of Cheney think this is harsh, maybe inquire to him about it. I'm sure they will receive a response as thoughtful and apologetic as “I think we made the right decision” and “I'd do it again in a minute.”
Cheney’s legacy causing suffering is lives on with the 38 prisoners remaining at Guantanamo Bay, who, according to Reuters, have been detained and tortured for over two decades without being charged or tried for any crime.