Posted on 07/31/2005 8:17:40 AM PDT by Jenya
Jimmy Carter Blasts Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp
Calls Iraq War 'Unnecessary and Unjust'
By CASSANDRA VINOGRAD, AP
BIRMINGHAM, England (July 31) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Saturday said the detention of terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay Naval base was an embarrassment and had given extremists an excuse to attack the United States.
Speaking at the Baptist World Alliance's centenary conference in Birmingham, central England, Carter also criticized the U.S.-led war in Iraq and said it was "unnecessary and unjust."
"I think what's going on in Guantanamo Bay and other places is a disgrace to the U.S.A.," he told a news conference. "I wouldn't say it's the cause of terrorism, but it has given impetus and excuses to potential terrorists to lash out at our country and justify their despicable acts."
Carter said, however, that terrorist acts could not be justified, and that while Guantanamo "may be an aggravating factor ... it's not the basis of terrorism."
Critics of U.S. President George W. Bush's administration have long accused the U.S. government of unjustly detaining terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base on the southeastern tip of Cuba. Hundreds of men detained in the war on terror have been held indefinitely at the prison, without charge or access to lawyers.
"What has happened at Guantanamo Bay ... does not represent the will of the American people," Carter said. "I'm embarrassed about it, I think its wrong. I think it does give terrorists an unwarranted excuse to use the despicable means to hurt innocent people."
Carter, who won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his years of peace efforts, has been an outspoken critic of the Iraq war.
"I thought then, and I think now, that the invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and unjust. And I think the premises on which it was launched were false," he said Saturday.
The Baptist World Alliance, which comprises more than 200 Baptist unions around the world, was formed in London in 1905. The headquarters of the alliance, which meets in a different location every five years, moved to the United States in 1947.
An estimated 12,700 delegates gathered in Birmingham, Britain's second largest city, for the conference. Carter, a Sunday school teacher in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, was due to lead a Bible study lesson during the conference.
He praised British police and intelligence services for the swift arrests in connection with the July 21 bombing attempts on London's transit system.
"I'm very proud to be in a nation that stands so stalwart against terrorism with us," he said. "The people of my country have united our hearts and sympathy for the tragedy that you have suffered from terrorism."
Carter, who was noted for his devotion to the Baptist faith during his time in the White House, called on people of all faiths who believed in freedom, peace, justice, hospitality and alleviation of suffering to work together to defeat terrorism.
"We should try and identify the things that divide us and set them aside ... and build a common commitment," he said.
This guy is nuts!
Jimmy Carter, POStus
"What has happened at Guantanamo Bay ... does not represent the will of the American people," Carter said.
Hell yes, Jimma. We wanted to see them SWING!
Yeah, Gitmo is the only part of Cuba Carter has any problem with. What a clod. A lousy President and an even worse ex-President.
Hey Jimmy, your brother Billy wants you to go into the light and join him.
Why isnt this guy residing in the alzhiemers wing of the "Shady Lane" assisted living community?
Ahhh...well gives me a chance to list another Carter STFU! Ping!
Every once in a while someone says this guy has been the best ex-President the nation has ever had. Boy does this make me cringe. He may be the be best ex-President working to destroy the U.S. and promote socialism, marxism and communisism we've ever had.
Let's have a national "Hug a Jihadist" day.
Yeah, right, I'm sure...
Carter is the most disgraceful sack of bones ever to darken the door in to the Whitehouse.
The disgrace to the USA is Jimmy Carter!!
Ah, Yes..... Jimmy Carter, The world's expert on Cuba. Flashback CUBA 1980's......Don't let the Cubans in...OK, let only a few in......Wait, OK let all of them in...How many?....OK stop letting them in...Tell Castro to please stop...We'll be friends...
This guy has no crediblity on World Affairs - Especially Cuba.
Nonsense. Extremists like Jimmy Carter don't need an excuse to attack the U.S.
Fidel and Jimmy: Best of Friends
Just in case anyone was wondering why Carter was a single-term, absolute failure as President.
It would be funny if the DoD offered to assign custody of one of the GITMO "residents" to Carter in Georgia so the poor abused terrorist could get better treatment.
> Carter is the most disgraceful sack of bones ever to darken the door in to the Whitehouse.
No, clinton has him beat by miles.
I wonder if Jimmuh has actually *been* to Club Gitmo to see the outrage for himself?
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