How a two-term president became the quiet man of American politics

[financeguy]

Where's George W Bush? How a two-term president became the quiet man of US politics - Telegraph

[Kieran McConville]

He should be silent. He should be very silent indeed.

That said, aren't most US presidents the quiet men of American politics once they leave office? I didn't recall hearing much from Ford, Reagan (yeah ok, I know) or Bush Snr in their later years. Carter is probably a bit of an odd man out.

[Canadiens1131]

Originally Posted by Kieran McConville

He should be silent. He should be very silent indeed.

Yeah, okay, Michael Cane.

[Dfit00]

Presidents, just like any other employees, hit it and quit it.

[Vincent Vega]

Didn't find a better place.

Bush knows why he better stays quiet:
US: Torture and Rendition to Gaddafi’s Libya | Human Rights Watch

Not only did the US deliver Gaddafi his enemies on a silver platter but it seems the CIA tortured many of them first. The scope of Bush administration abuse appears far broader than previously acknowledged and underscores the importance of opening up a full-scale inquiry into what happened.

The interviews and documents establish that, following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the US, with aid from the United Kingdom (UK) and countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, arrested and held without charge a number of LIFG members living outside Libya, and eventually rendered them to the Libyan government.

The report also describes serious abuses that five of the former LIFG members said they experienced at two US-run detention facilities in Afghanistan, most likely operated by the CIA. They include new allegations of waterboarding and other water torture. The details are consistent with the few other first-hand accounts about the same US-run facilities.

You will likely hear many similar stories from Syria.
The European intelligence services brought similar shame over their respective countries (not to mention the governments who approved of it).

[INDY500]

The report also describes serious abuses that five of the former LIFG members said they experienced at two US-run detention facilities in Afghanistan, most likely operated by the CIA. They include new allegations of waterboarding and other water torture. The details are consistent with the few other first-hand accounts about the same US-run facilities.

Anything in the report about "kill lists" or terror suspects that are blown to smithereens by drones?

[AchtungBono]

My guess is that he has nothing more to add. Like the good guy in a western movie, he helped the townspeople in their time of need, left them safer than when he found them, and now it's time for him to ride off into the sunset....

[digitize]

Yep, that's it. Couldn't be his low-30s approval rating all through his last three years or so in office, or the fact that he spent most of his term starting and defending and fighting a war that is extraordinarily unpopular nowadays.

[Vlad n U 2]

Originally Posted by AchtungBono

My guess is that he has nothing more to add. Like the good guy in a western movie, he helped the townspeople in their time of need, left them safer than when he found them, and now it's time for him to ride off into the sunset....

Such a wonderful, honourable man loved by millions, isn't he?

[AchtungBono]

Originally Posted by Vlad n U 2

Such a wonderful, honourable man loved by millions, isn't he?

Duly noted.....lol

[occlith]

That sorry punk said more than enough in his day.

[Irvine511]

GWB was the worst president in all of our lifetimes.

[Caleb8844]

Unless you're 32+ years old

[Moonlit_Angel]

Originally Posted by AchtungBono

My guess is that he has nothing more to add. Like the good guy in a western movie, he helped the townspeople in their time of need, left them safer than when he found them, and now it's time for him to ride off into the sunset....

I am presuming you're having some fun with us here.

'Cause if you're serious, yeah...no.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by Caleb8844

Unless you're 32+ years old

Indeed I am. Bush wins as worst.

[deep]

I was working, voting and paying taxes 32 years ago, it is not even close.

[AchtungBono]

Originally Posted by Moonlit_Angel

I am presuming you're having some fun with us here.

'Cause if you're serious, yeah...no.

I am VERY serious......and I guess that living in Israel I can better understand and appreciate being in a state of war and the steps necessary to combat terrorism. I'm sorry that the American people don't seem to understand that terrorism can't be fought with cotton candy and lolipops (or the constitution). GWB was thrust into a situation that no American president since Pearl Harbor was forced to deal with - the worst terrorist attack EVER.

I would like to have seen any of his bashers deal with what he had to deal with, then we'll see how smart they would have been and what they would have done differently.

GWB is underappreciated and one day history will show that he was one of the better presidents the U.S. ever had.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by AchtungBono

I am VERY serious......and I guess that living in Israel I can better understand and appreciate being in a state of war and the steps necessary to combat terrorism. I'm sorry that the American people don't seem to understand that terrorism can't be fought with cotton candy and lolipops (or the constitution). GWB was thrust into a situation that no American president since Pearl Harbor was forced to deal with - the worst terrorist attack EVER.

I would like to have seen any of his bashers deal with what he had to deal with, then we'll see how smart they would have been and what they would have done differently.

GWB is underappreciated and one day history will show that he was one of the better presidents the U.S. ever had.

I do think this is the underlying reason why your opinion differs so much from American opinion; you have "an end justifies the means" approach to justice and other issues, whereas most Americans do not accept the "you have to become a monster to defeat a monster" mentality.

History will never be all that kind to GW. I believe it will be kinder than it is now, but never will he be touted as one of the better ones.

[Pearl]

Originally Posted by AchtungBono

GWB is underappreciated and one day history will show that he was one of the better presidents the U.S. ever had.

But you live in Israel, you have no idea what it was like having GWB as president of your own country.

And the vast majority of Americans - and even others worldwide - would agree there was no need to invade Iraq at all, hence GWB's lousy presidency.

[cobl04]

He became a segment on Letterman, for fuck's sake.