Posted on 07/27/2004 3:17:38 PM PDT by ambrose
Bush presidency unbroken series of mistakes: Carter
7/28/2004
BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 27 (AFP) - Former US president Jimmy Carter came out swinging at the Democratic convention Monday, blasting George W. Bush for an "unbroken series of mistakes" he said had squandered the world's goodwill for the United States. Despite pledges to keep the four-day convention free of Bush- bashing, Carter used his opening-night speech to launch a fierce, partisan broadside on the incumbent that Democrats hope to oust in November's election. "Truth is the foundation of our global leadership, but our credibility has been shattered and we are left increasingly isolated and vulnerable in a hostile world," Carter said, focussing on unhappiness over the war in Iraq.
"In the world at large, we cannot lead if our leaders mislead," said Carter, who criticised Bush over "wars of choice" and charged that he had fumbled in the fight against terrorism since the September 11 attacks in 2001.
"After 9-11, America stood proud, wounded but determined and united. A cowardly attack on innocent civilians brought us an unprecedented level of cooperation and understanding around the world," he said.
"But in just 34 months, we have watched with deep concern as all this goodwill has been squandered by a virtually unbroken series of mistakes and miscalculations," Carter said, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd.
He lashed out at "these few months of extremism" under Bush, which he said were a "radical departure" from "basic American values" that Democratic challenger John Kerry would bring to the Oval Office.
"The United States has alienated its allies, dismayed its friends, and inadvertently gratified its enemies by proclaiming a confused and disturbing strategy of 'pre-emptive war," Carter said.
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Flashback: Carter Pledges Support to New Iran Government Under Khomeini
The Washington Post (Archives) | February 13, 1979 | Jim Hoagland, Washington Post Staff Writer
Posted on 07/17/2004 8:24:02 PM PDT by nwrep
President Carter extended informal recognition and an offer of cooperation yesterday to the government emerging in Iran from the Islamic revolution that the Carter administration had sought for nearly a year to prevent.
As the president told a Washington news conference that the U.S. embassy in Tehran was already "consulting very closely" with the government appointed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, U.S. officials here continued to examine urgently contingency plans for the forced evacuation of the estimated 7,000 Americans still in Iran.
Armed bands of Khomeini's followers are picking up Americans, including military personnel, for questioning, and releasing them unharmed, according to State Department reports that have greatly increased official concern about the safety of Americans.
Carter's relatively conciliatory remarks about Khomeini's success in deposing Prime Minister Shahpour Bahktiar on Sunday reflected that concern, U.S. officials said.
"The followers of designated Prime Minister [Mehdi] Bazargan have been very helpful in ensuring the safety of Americans," Carter said in outlining his "continued hope for very productive and peaceful cooperation with the government of Iran."
Carter is admittedly an expert on mistakes, having himself made the worst mistakes of any President.
Jimmy Carter Still Delusional After All These Years - Failed President sees error in Bush but not himself
Former Iran Hostage-Taker Criticizes Carter Prize
Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | 10/12/02
Posted on 10/12/2002 9:35:42 AM PDT by GeneD
TEHRAN (Reuters) - A former ringleader of the U.S. embassy hostage drama in Tehran said on Saturday that Jimmy Carter, who was U.S. president at the time, did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
"He would have deserved a peace prize today if he had taken serious steps toward peace during his presidency," said Abbas Abdi, one of the leaders of the student militants who seized the U.S. embassy in 1979.
The students, who were trying to force Washington to extradite the deposed Shah of Iran for trial, held 52 U.S. hostages at the embassy for 444 days.
During that time, Carter broke off diplomatic ties with Tehran and suffered the embarrassment of a botched attempt to rescue the hostages.
In 1981, Carter was swept from office by Ronald Reagan, a humbling end to an optimistic presidency but the start of a high-profile semi-retirement.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited on Friday Carter's "vital contribution" to the peace accord between Israel and Egypt and his efforts in conflict resolution on several continents in giving him the $1 million prize.
"Those who award the prize have their own criteria which might be justifiable for them," said Abdi, who like many of the former hostage-takers, is now a leading voice for reform in Iran.
"We have never seen a U.S. president who prefers the interest of other countries to his country's national interest," he told Reuters.
-snip-
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/767932/posts
presidency unbroken series of mistakes: Jimmy Carter
It was clearly a mistake to let Jimmy Carter give the first major foreign-policy speech of the convention, and I really hope the GOP capitalizes on it.
Well, if anyone ought to know about an unbroken chain of errors, it would be Jimmah.
Carter, the coward, has no right to attack Bush.
Carter was a disaster. The American people couldn't wait to get rid of him in a landslide. It was rather universally understood that he just did not have what it took to be a succesful president. The big quote on Carter when he was doing his habitat for humanity gig was: too bad he couldn't have gone straight into hos post-presidency.
Isn't this a bit like Napoleon criticizing someone's invasion strategy for Russia?
This reminds me to update one of my favorite observations. I always say this country disgraced itself when it unelected the senior Bush for Clinton. A fair case can be made that the first mistake was narrowly turning out President Ford for the likes of Jimmy.
I like how Jimmy Boy considers himself a Christian, and yet spends all his time bashing a fellow Christian. His hate is overtaking is faith. He needs to go back and read his Bible.
The sting of being turned out of office after a complete failure of an administration still touches Jimmy the Peanut.
POT/KETTLE You senile Georgia Cracker has been.
Jimmuh Cartuh said that with a straight face? Next to President Bush, Carter's entire presidency was a providential catalogue of disasters. The United States has never been stronger or more assertive. Carter and his ilk want us to get a permission slip from the Russians, Chinese, the Eurotrash and the UN before we act in our own interests. Thanks but no thanks.
HYPOCRITE
Carter is a wuss. I don't forgive him for 1977-81.
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