Iraqis mark former US VP Dick Cheney's death with silent bitterness

Dick Cheney's death has reignited sharp debate in Iraq, crystallising deep divisions over his legacy. While some Kurdish officials offered condolences, reflecting differing perspectives, Baghdad's federal government stayed silent, signalling continued resentment toward his role in Iraq's recent history.

Cheney died at 84 from pneumonia and heart disease. He is remembered as a principal architect of the Iraq invasion and a highly influential, controversial US political figure.

Many Iraqis responded to Cheney’s death with limited sympathy. Ghani Ghadban, a Baghdad-based political analyst, told The New Arab that Cheney was responsible for policies that caused enduring instability and pain, shaping much of the divided sentiment seen now.

"There is no doubt that the war imposed by the United States on Iraq in 2003 left a deep scar in the hearts of Iraqis," Ghadban said. "Dick Cheney was the mastermind who imposed his agenda on George Bush and Tony Blair, convincing them to invade Iraq."

"Iraqis remember Cheney with bitterness for planning and driving the occupation that destroyed the country's infrastructure. His death brings only memories of destruction, hunger, and the killing of innocents," he added.

Ghadban argued Cheney's influence led to corrupt elites and foreign-backed groups. "The United States handed Iraq to a group of thieves who now rule. The suffering, poverty, and chaos today result directly from those policies," he said.

Condolences from Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Responses in the Kurdistan Region were more measured, in contrast to Baghdad's silence. The Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States posted on X (formerly Twitter): "We extend our sincere condolences on the passing of Dick Cheney, who, as US Vice President, played a prominent role in shaping US policy toward Iraq. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who mourn his loss."

Sheikh Yassin Aref, an Iraqi Kurd and former mosque imam at the Masjid As-Salam in Albany, New York, who spent 15 years in US prisons under counterterrorism laws enacted during Cheney's tenure, described him as "a man without a heart, literally and politically."

"He was the real power behind George W. Bush—the architect of the Iraq invasion and the father of the pre-emptive war doctrine," Aref said.

Aref said Cheney introduced two damaging policies for America’s global image as a defender of human rights and democracy.

"Cheney turned America from a democracy into an empire that pursued oil and disregarded human rights. His policies and wars will harm the region for years. The One Percent Doctrine, his post-9/11 counter-terrorism policy, meant if there was even a one per cent chance of a terrorist attack, the US should respond as if it were certain," Aref explained.

He said this doctrine shifted US policy to pre-emptive action, emphasising immediate response over analysis. It significantly influenced the Bush administration's foreign policy, especially the Iraq invasion.

Silence from Baghdad

As of Wednesday, the Iraqi government had not issued an official reaction or condolences for Cheney, underlining how resentment and division over his actions continue to shape Iraqi attitudes.

Cheney, Vice President from 2001 to 2009 under George W. Bush, was a leading advocate for the Iraq invasion, arguing Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction—claims later discredited.

A former Wyoming congressman and defence secretary, Cheney also oversaw the 1991 Gulf War and later supported expanding presidential power and controversial interrogation practices condemned as torture.

Despite devastating consequences and global criticism, Cheney remained unrepentant, insisting the invasion was "the right decision based on the intelligence at the time."