President Carter: Heroic Peacemaker, or Naive Fool???

[TalonX]

Pity the fool.   The worst president in recent memory, his legacy is cowardly handling of the hostage crisis in Iran.  ("The matter first requires watchful waiting.")   Another chapter for Profiles in Courage.

A fairly young man at the end of his failed presidency, Carter seeks to attain relevance through various means.  His latest foray merely reflects his frantic desire to find some reason to remember him.

Billy was more well known and will be remember far longer.... I made good money selling a case of Billy Beer years after I bought it....It's more than I can say for Carter's presidency.

<S>

[Saxman]

There was an interview not too long ago with someone involved in the crisis where it was confirmed the Iranians actually waited until Reagan took office to release the hostages, in a deliberate move to spite Carter.

[lazs2]

saxman... if that is true then it does not say much about carters ability to make peace and to understand how the brokering works does it?

As for habitat for humanity.. it was a great program till he got involved and turned it into a socialist program instead of a people helping deserving people program.. as soon as fed money came in the rules went away and new ones more attuned to failed government programs came in.

lazs

[Saxman]

Actually lazs, according to the interview the issue WAS resolved and arrangements were in place to end the standoff and release the hostages. The Iranians just didn't want to give Carter the "victory."

[lazs2]

saxman.. you seem to be missing the point..  so long as he was involved..  it wouldn't happen.. he had years to get it to happen and he didn't..  in the end.. only him not being involved made it happen.

How does this bode well for him as a master negotiator that can bring people together?  he was so bad that even tho it would have been better for all concerned to end the situation earlier..  they would rather it not go as well so long as carter was out of it.

they didn't like him and they weren't afraid of him... he was an impotent boob.. just like now.

He didn't make things better by being involved.. he only made things better by not being involved...

lazs

[Saxman]

You're also missing my point:

Good idea, bad idea, good negotiator, bad negotiator, at least he's done something different to at least TRY to break the impasse, which is a HELL of a lot more than I can say for the current policy of black-and-white exclusion, which so far has only succeeded in perpetuating the stalemate.

Maybe Carter's the wrong guy to have do it, but it may not necessarily be the wrong IDEA.

[texasmom]

Normally I'm not fond of wiki. This, however, sums it all up for me regarding Carter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter_rabbit_incident

[lazs2]

nor is it necessarily the right idea either.   In fact.. given his record.. it is more likely to be a bad idea.   The man is a fool..  certainly, it is possible for a fool to come up with a good plan no matter how complex the issue but.. it is unlikely.

lazs

[Saxman]

Either way, unless it's given serious consideration there's no way to know.

And for those who complain "We don't negotiate with terrorists" would you mind explaining how involving Hamas in the peace process would be so different from what the US is currently doing by courting the insurgent militias in Iraq?

[evenhaim]

Carter is a security problem..... he should go sit on his porch and get out of the way.

Agreed, he should learn when its time to back off as well, hes created more tension since he has arrived than has been before.

[evenhaim]

Y'know what? I think the stiff necks in ALL FOUR PARTIES, in the Middle East, in Washington, and HERE need a swift smack to the back of the head.

you do know we where negotiating with hamas for the release of gilad (captrued soldier) until hamas escalated the violence and attempted kidnappings, they where demanding 400 prisoners in exchange for him. There was alot of controversy about it.

[AWMac]

This just in:  Carter attacked by Killer Rabbit.
Details at 11.

OMG!!!!

 

Mac

[Tango]

(Image removed from quote.)
This just in:  Carter attacked by Killer Rabbit.
Details at 11.

OMG!!!!

 

Mac

Maybe he should have called Brother Manard and used the "Holy Hand Grenade". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk&feature=related

[Rich46yo]

1976 was the first Presidential election I voted in. I didn't vote for Carter, in fact Ive never voted for a Democrat in any election on 2nd amendment issues alone. He was actually the guy first responsible for this terror war, at least with America involved. I was stationed in the MidEast in Nov. '79 and I remember we were ready to rumble but Carter wouldnt send us. We had a big buildup of troops, if fact I was in the 1/2 of the squadron we were told would go. But Carter backed down.

Even as a kid I knew it was a mistake. I dont buy that humanitarian crap. When an American kid signs that dotted line to take up arms he/she also has to accept the danger that comes with it. Had we crushed the Iranian students then, especially when we had so much support within the Iranian military and Government, we would be having far less problems now. I'll bet Saddam would have never tried his little tricks if he saw what awaited him in 1979. The Dictators and tyrants that run such nations dont respect indecision and weakness.

And since then hes stuck his nose into to many foreign policy matters and only complicated them. And the North Koreans simply bamboozled him. Carter should just fade away, "he should have faded away in 1980". When Reagan was elected moral on the military went up 100%. Americas enemies were fearful when Ronnie was President. And well for them they were.

[Nwbie]

to the main question of this thread


Yes