In his opinion published on Sat., Andrew Mitrovica, an Al Jazeera columnist based in Toronto, wrote, "By now, George W Bush should have completed volumes one and two of his prison letters."
"But, as we know, the world is not a just place. So, like all the other American presidents who have avoided the dock despite the crimes they have committed at home and abroad, the former US president remains free, and, indeed, carefree, man."
"I suspect that Bush is happy, too, biding his time during his 'golden years' painting what can charitably be described as globby, deformed 'portraits' and tending to the tangled bush on his Texas estate," he added.
He continued, "I wonder, as well, if Bush ever pauses from his painting and gardening to consider the appalling measure of his guilt or shudders at the unfolding and halting scope of the profound, disfiguring consequences of his many and manifest crimes against decency and humanity."
"So, Bush likely finds considerable solace in the slimy evasion that being president is often a thankless, dirty job that requires, on occasion, the occupant to order 'hits' – big and small – against America’s 'enemies' just like a mafia don, but with a much larger, more well-equipped army, of course."
The columnist noted, "I have pondered these questions lately about this banal, unrepentant killer and torture-approving thug with a presidential library because, rather than finally doing the world a smidgen of service by permanently shutting up in lieu of being charged, Bush continues to believe, incredibly, that his musings on war and diplomacy have serious merit and should be heeded."
Mitrovica added, "Bush could also have been pressed about his role in engineering an international abduction racket – known as 'renditions' – that permitted America’s state-sanctioned hoodlums to kidnap mostly Muslim men and dump them into secret dungeons in Iraq and beyond where they were bound, interrogated, humiliated, electrocuted, attacked by dogs, sexually assaulted, water-boarded and, ultimately, murdered."
"None of that appears to have happened. Instead, Bush was given unfettered license to object to the withdrawal of the remaining US and NATO troops from Afghanistan," he continued.
The Al Jazeera columnist added, "That this callous cretin would suggest anywhere, at any time, for any reason, that the 'consequences' of another president’s actions “are going to be unbelievably bad” for Afghanistan is blatant proof of Bush’s genetically programmed stupidity and obscene, near nauseating hubris."
"The name George W Bush is synonymous with the suffering and unspeakable harm girls, boys, women, and men in Iraq and Afghanistan have braved for decades," he wrote.
"With the eager help of groveling, amnesiac television hosts, Bush has mounted a muted, yet determined campaign to rehabilitate his foul reputation. In its place, a new, gracious, if the slightly awkward and endearing caricature of Bush has emerged."
"It is a sick mirage," he continued.
"Bush is an unindicted mass murderer. He ought to be sharing a bunk bed with Ratko Mladic at The Hague. Failing that, he should keep monastically quiet and go away."
HJ/PR