Meaning: The quote "We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators" by Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, refers to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This statement was made during an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" on March 16, 2003, just days before the invasion of Iraq began. The quote reflects the belief held by the Bush administration at the time that the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime would be welcomed by the Iraqi people, and that the United States and its allies would be seen as liberators rather than conquerors.

Cheney's statement was part of the administration's efforts to justify the invasion of Iraq and garner public and international support for the military action. The Bush administration argued that Saddam Hussein's regime possessed weapons of mass destruction and had ties to terrorist organizations, presenting a threat to the United States and its allies. The belief that the Iraqi people would welcome the overthrow of Saddam Hussein was a key element of the administration's rationale for the invasion.

However, the reality on the ground in Iraq after the invasion did not align with the administration's optimistic predictions. The toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime led to a power vacuum and a period of instability, with sectarian violence and insurgency posing significant challenges to the U.S.-led coalition forces. The failure to find evidence of weapons of mass destruction further undermined the credibility of the administration's justifications for the invasion.

In the years following the invasion, Iraq descended into a protracted and bloody conflict, with significant human and economic costs. The failure to adequately plan for the post-invasion period and to address the complex political and sectarian dynamics in Iraq contributed to the difficulties faced by the U.S. and its allies in stabilizing the country.

The quote by Dick Cheney came to symbolize the overconfidence and miscalculations of the Bush administration in its approach to the Iraq war. It became emblematic of the gap between the administration's rhetoric and the challenging realities on the ground, and served as a point of criticism for those who opposed the invasion and its aftermath.

The aftermath of the Iraq war continues to have far-reaching implications, both for the Middle East and for U.S. foreign policy. The invasion and its aftermath have been the subject of intense debate, criticism, and reflection, with many questioning the decision-making process that led to the war and the subsequent handling of the post-invasion period.

In conclusion, the quote "We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators" by Dick Cheney encapsulates the optimism and misplaced expectations of the Bush administration regarding the invasion of Iraq. It serves as a reminder of the complexities and uncertainties of military interventions and the importance of carefully considering the potential consequences of such actions.