I don't know where you factor Cheney into the equation, however, I do know almost every General wants the biggest, fanciest and most expensive toys he can get Congress to fund (if you doubt that, I suggest you read Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War).
I also know the Marines have been trying to get the Osprey to work for over 20 years, and THAT'S why the Sea Knight is still in service. For more that two decades billions have been thrown down the Osprey rat hole and the thing is barely in limited production. In the meanwhile, the Marines could've been flying a far better bird than the Sea Knight for many years by now. I think the Osprey is a great technology demonstrator and should've been funded as such (R&D) for the last two decades. Maybe by now the Marines could've begun replacing the Sea Knight's replacement with a reliable (which the Osprey is not) second generation tilt rotor aircraft. But no, that didn't happen, and it's not because of Dick Cheney. It's because of the Generals. It verges on the criminal.
At least the Bush Administration had the sense to cancel the Crusader and Comanche, a pair of very expensive, yet worthless programs. Boy--did that ever pi$$ off the Generals!
You obviously don't know much about Cheney's behavior, along with that of one David S. Chu, while he was SecDef. You also obviously don't know much about the Osprey program as demonstrated by your careless use of long refuted generalities.
It verges on the criminal.
What is and was criminal was Cheney illegally diverting funds appropriated for the Osprey to other projects. Something he continued to do until threatened by Congress with legal action, including criminal prosecution. What is also criminal is trying to force the Marine Corps into buying inadequate H-60s, thus funneling business to United Technologies, because you have relatives working there, which Cheney did.