“It's very important to go back and keep in mind the distinction between handling these events as criminal acts, which was the way we did before 9/11, and then looking at 9/11 and saying, 'This is not a criminal act,' not when you destroy 16 acres of Manhattan, kill 3,000 Americans, blow a big hole in the Pentagon. That's an act of war.”

American politician and businessman

Richard Bruce Cheney is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under George W. Bush. A Republican, he became one of the most influential figures in the administration and is closely associated with U.S. policy in the years after the September 11 attacks. Cheney’s public career is marked by national politics and executive power. He was a central voice in shaping foreign policy after 2001, and his tenure as vice president is often described as unusually influential for the office. His remarks often reflect the world of government, security, and political decision making.