Dick Cheney, who has died at the age of 84, had a glittering - if controversial - career in American public life.
He served as President Gerald Ford's White House chief of staff in the 1970s, before spending a decade in the House of Representatives.
President George H W Bush made him defence secretary during the first Gulf War and the US invasion of Panama.
In 2001, Cheney became one of the most powerful vice-presidents in history.
He was a key architect of President George W Bush's 'War on Terror' after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and an early advocate of the invasion of Iraq.
But, in his final years, he became a bitter critic of the Republican party under the leadership of President Donald Trump.
In our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic, Cheney said.
Richard Bruce Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on 30 January 1941. His father worked for the US Department of Agriculture, while his mother had been a successful softball player in the 1930s. When he was 13, his family moved to Casper, an oil town in Wyoming. In 1959, Cheney entered Yale on a scholarship, but failed to graduate.
In 1959, when he became eligible to be drafted for military service, Cheney made the most of every legal avenue to avoid putting on a uniform. He obtained a string of deferments, first so that he could finish his college course and then when his new wife, Lynne became pregnant.
Cheney's rise in Washington began in 1968 with Representative William Steiger, catching the eye of Donald Rumsfeld, who mentored him through various roles leading to his position as White House chief of staff in the Ford administration.
After his tenure in Congress and as secretary of defense in the Bush administration, Cheney's impact on national security policies, particularly post-9/11, solidified his reputation, though not without controversy, such as his support for waterboarding and other interrogation techniques.
After stepping down, Cheney did not shy away from public discourse, often criticizing subsequent administrations and becoming notably critical of Trump's leadership. His late career reflections, including support for gay marriage and bipartisan political discourse, highlight a journey riddled with complexities.
