Iraq war and interrogations: Why Dick Cheney's legacy will be a divisive one
Despite enjoying a long and varied career of public service, Mr Cheney, a staunch defender of American values, may be remembered as someone seen as a threat to them while in the White House.


David Blevins
US correspondent @skydavidblevins

Tuesday 4 November 2025 20:11, UK
https://news.sky.com/story/ski....lled-but-divisive-di

In April 1980, Cheney endorsed Governor Ronald Reagan for president, becoming one of Reagan's earliest supporters. In 1986, after President Ronald Reagan vetoed ...

During this period, Cheney was primarily focused on U.S. domestic politics and broader Cold War issues. His notable activities in 1986 included:
Voting against overriding President Reagan's veto of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act.

Voting against a non-binding resolution calling for the release of Nelson Mandela, citing concerns about the African National Congress (ANC) being viewed as a "terrorist organization" with a communist faction.

While the U.S. generally opposed communist or socialist governments during the Cold War, the search results do not indicate any specific, direct involvement by Dick Cheney in the affairs of the Seychelles government in 1986.

Tenure
Leadership
In 1987, he was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference. The following year, he was elected House minority whip.[45] He served for two and a half months before he was appointed Secretary of Defense instead of former U.S. senator John G. Tower, whose nomination had been rejected by the U.S. Senate in March 1989.[46]

In 1986 and 1987, the U.S. government was headed by President Ronald Reagan (a Republican), with George H.W. Bush as Vice President, during Reagan's second term in office. A major political event defining these years was the unfolding of the Iran-Contra affair, while significant domestic legislation included the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Key Government Personnel
President: Ronald Reagan
Vice President: George H. W. Bush
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: William Rehnquist (elevated from Associate Justice in 1986)
Speaker of the House: Tip O'Neill (Democrat)
Key Administration Officials: Donald Regan (Chief of Staff until 1987), Howard Baker (Chief of Staff from 1987), George P. Shultz (Secretary of State), Caspar Weinberger (Secretary of Defense).

Major Events and Policies
Iran-Contra Affair
The central focus of the government during this period was the Iran-Contra affair, a major political scandal.
The scandal involved senior Reagan administration officials secretly facilitating arms sales to Iran, in violation of a U.S. arms embargo.
The proceeds from these sales were then illegally diverted to fund the Contras, a right-wing rebel group in Nicaragua, in violation of the Boland Amendment, which prohibited U.S. aid to the Contras.
The affair was publicly revealed in November 1986, leading to congressional investigations and the appointment of an independent counsel. The subsequent Tower Commission report in early 1987 criticized Reagan's "hands-off" management style. In March 1987, Reagan publicly accepted responsibility for the actions that occurred without his direct knowledge.

Domestic Policy
The "Reaganomics" policies continued, focusing on tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced domestic spending, which contributed to a strong economic expansion but also a growing national debt.
Tax Reform Act of 1986: This act was a comprehensive revision of the tax code, simplifying it by reducing the number of tax brackets and significantly lowering the top marginal tax rate.
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA): Signed into law in November 1986, this act made it illegal to knowingly hire undocumented immigrants and granted amnesty to nearly three million undocumented immigrants who had arrived before January 1, 1982.
Judicial Appointments: In 1986, Reagan elevated William Rehnquist to Chief Justice and appointed Antonin Scalia as an Associate Justice. In 1987, his nomination of Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate after a contentious battle.

Foreign Policy
Cold War: Reagan met with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev at the Reykjavík Summit in Iceland in October 1986, and they later signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in Washington, D.C. in December 1987, the first treaty to reduce the number of nuclear weapons held by the superpowers.
Sanctions against South Africa: Congress overrode Reagan's veto in 1986 to implement economic sanctions against South Africa's apartheid regime.
Persian Gulf: In 1987, a U.S. naval ship, the USS Stark, was hit by an Iraqi missile, killing 37 sailors, leading to U.S. involvement in protecting shipping lanes during the Iran-Iraq war.

Other Major Events
Challenger Disaster: The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff in January 1986, killing all seven crew members and jolting the U.S. space program.
Black Monday: On October 19, 1987, the stock market experienced a major crash.
Democratic Control of Senate: In the November 1986 midterm elections, the Democrats regained control of the Senate, meaning both houses of Congress were in Democratic hands for the remainder of Reagan's term.

The SIROP program/today some call initiative, president Reagan government, Lady Thatcher cabinet, the Italian president Julio Andretti, Pope John Paul ll, President Francois Mitterrand and Soviet President Gorbachev, Chancellor Helmut Koln - President FA Rene - South Africa president FW De klerk, the Irish Republic president, ( the two Austrian president and chancellor Kreisky) Spring 1986 (Seychelles Community in exile London)