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The trouble with Jimmy Carter
Iranian.com ^ | Friday, August 5, 2005 | by Klaus Rohrich

Posted on 08/06/2005 3:18:34 AM PDT by F14 Pilot

Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer and former U.S. President, has a huge problem: his mouth. The things emanating from that orifice are bizarre in the extreme, considering that Carter was arguably the worst president in the history of the United States. His most recent foot-in-mouth episode involves his running commentary on George W. Bush’s veracity and the "atrocities" committed by American soldiers in the war on terrorism. Carter maintains that had the U.S. not waged war against the Taliban who were sponsors of Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network, or deposed Saddam Hussein, then the Islamic terrorists would have no excuse for attacking the West.

To say this sentiment is naïve is charitable, given Carter’s history of extreme failure as America’s 39th president. For those too young to remember, under Carter’s tenure in the White House inflation and interest rates rose to their highest levels since the Second World War. In 1978 interest rates of 20 percent were not unheard of, as Carter dithered with the U.S. economy. It was also under Carter’s watch that Iranian fundamentalist Muslims took 66 American diplomats hostage and held them for 444 days, while Carter was powerless to do anything but posture.

It is ironic that this happened, as Carter was directly responsible for the Ayatollah Khomeini’s takeover of Iran. Carter had decided that Mohammed Reza Palavi, the Shah of Iran and a committed friend of the United States, wasn’t democratic enough for Carter’s taste. As a result, Carter insisted the Shah democratize his regime, the result of which was the takeover of Iran by the Ayatollah when the Shah left Iran for cancer treatment in the U.S.

More ironically still, the takeover of Iran by the Islamic fundamentalists emboldened Saddam Hussein, who had just begun his tenure as absolute dictator of Iraq. Believing that the departure of the Shah and the chilling of American/Iranian relations would render Iran ripe for an invasion, Saddam attacked Iran in hopes of securing that country’s oil fields and deposing the Shia Muslim theocracy there. The result was that over 1,000,000 men died during that conflict, which remained at a stalemate for years.

Had Carter not been instrumental in deposing the Shah, then Saddam would likely have remained a bit player in the region, which might have resulted in greater stability.

In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development". This sounds to me like it may have been the booby prize, given that Carter actually never accomplished anything concrete that resulted in the resolution of international conflicts, the advancement of democracy or even the promotion of economic and social development. Quite the opposite, as under Carter’s reign the "misery index", which was Carter’s own invention (leave it to a Democrat to focus on misery), climbed by over 50 percent! But then, we have to remember that the Nobel Peace prize also went to Yassar Arafat, the notorious murderer who is responsible for thousands of deaths, both among Israelis as well as Palestinians.

It’s so characteristic of Democrats in the U.S. to take total failures, flunkies who accomplish less than nothing, and elevate them to some mythical pantheon of liberal heroes because they had good intentions. My grandmother used to tell me that the road to hell was paved with them.

he should renounce the entire organization that awarded him the peace prize and take a stand for justice. Let's not forget his flirtations with Fidel Castro. Now, here is a real human rights activist! How many people did Fidel have incarcerated and tortured in Cuba?

Rather than trying to score political points with those who are trying to kill us, Jimmy Carter might be well advised to read some history. I strongly recommend European history between, say, 1930 and 1945. There are some wonderful lessons to be learned in the comparison between Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill. The former, Like Jimmy Carter, wanted to appease the enemy, while the latter, Like George Bush, took steps to defend his country.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: ally; america; arafat; award; carter; castro; cuba; dems; egypt; gaza; hamas; hostage; iran; iraq; islam; israel; jimmycarter; khomeini; mideast; nicaragua; nobel; northkorea; palestinian; peace; president; region; saddam; shah; terrorism; us; usa; venezuela
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To: F14 Pilot


21 posted on 08/06/2005 4:04:21 AM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: alloysteel
Unfair to compare Carter with Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain finally figured out appeasment wouldn't work when Hitler invaded Poland. Carter still hasn't figured it out.

But you are right about one good thing he accomplished-- giving us eight years of Ronald Reagan:

1980 1984

22 posted on 08/06/2005 4:06:06 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (crime would drop like a sprung trapdoor if we brought back good old-fashioned hangings)
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To: F14 Pilot
Carter was arguably the worst president in the history of the United States.

Arguably? Not much question here! The guy is the south end of a north bound mule and just as dumb!

23 posted on 08/06/2005 4:14:36 AM PDT by Road Warrior ‘04 (Kill 'em til they're dead! Then, kill 'em again!)
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To: F14 Pilot

No mention of Carter falling in love with Chavez, the latest Venezuelan dictator.


24 posted on 08/06/2005 4:15:09 AM PDT by sgtbono2002
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To: sgtbono2002

I wonder if Carter was our first communist president.


25 posted on 08/06/2005 4:28:28 AM PDT by Republic (Our Father in Heaven touched the Pope, who KNEW of Terri, Terri got her mass, VATICAN STYLE!)
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To: wiggen
or michael moore is a hippo

or James Carville looks like a Muppet that was accidentally washed in hot, or John Kerry is an assrabbit.....
26 posted on 08/06/2005 4:31:54 AM PDT by Jaysun (Name one war — anywhere — that had a "timetable".)
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To: F14 Pilot
while Carter was powerless to do anything but posture.

If only he'd just postured, and not fancied himself a tactical hero, some good men wouldn't have died.

27 posted on 08/06/2005 4:34:45 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Vigilanteman

No offense to any Minnesota Freepers, but what is wrong with that state that they actually went for Carter twice?


28 posted on 08/06/2005 4:36:56 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: CBart95

The sad thing is that I voted for Carter the first time. Last time that I ever voted for a Dem president.


29 posted on 08/06/2005 4:37:55 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, Over there, we will be there until it is Over there.")
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To: sgtbono2002

Chavez is one of most dangerous leaders in the World. Islam is running rampant, and he is doing everything that he can to bait us to attack them.


30 posted on 08/06/2005 4:41:28 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, Over there, we will be there until it is Over there.")
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To: F14 Pilot

Jimmy Carter is nothing short of a traitor and should be impeached and jailed for treason. Undoubtedly the worst president that we have ever had in this wonderful country. He was a disgrace then and continues to be one now.


31 posted on 08/06/2005 4:43:09 AM PDT by Riptides
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To: Maria S

In addition to the high interest rates, I remember the gas lines - unbelievable!


32 posted on 08/06/2005 4:47:26 AM PDT by Ken522
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To: anton

I remember during the Clinton scandals seeing a bumper sticker that said: "Jimmy Carter: No Longer America's Worst President". I agree with you... as bad as Bubba was, Carter still holds that crown. Those last years of the 1970's were both terrible and an embarrassment (sp?... it's too early).


33 posted on 08/06/2005 4:49:32 AM PDT by ReleaseTheHounds
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To: anton

Jimmy Peanut Carter is indeed the worst president. There is no doubt in my mind


34 posted on 08/06/2005 4:52:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: PGalt
"a. Lyndon Johnson b. Jimmy Carter c. Bill Clinton d. All of the above" ----While (d.) is a tempting choice, my selections for the worst, as determined by doing the most damage to the country, president would be a, c, b.
35 posted on 08/06/2005 4:52:58 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (Suffering fools reluctantly since 1947.)
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To: Riptides
Jimmy Carter is nothing short of a traitor and should be impeached and jailed for treason. Undoubtedly the worst president that we have ever had in this wonderful country. He was a disgrace then and continues to be one now.

Don't you mean he should have been impeached? I don't think you can impeach someone that doesn't hold the office any more

36 posted on 08/06/2005 4:57:38 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Bahbah
I agree, but give Clinton time.

LOL. Good point.

37 posted on 08/06/2005 4:58:00 AM PDT by geedee (You're a Patriot when a half-masted Old Glory makes you grieve, and Old Hillary makes you heave.)
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To: Kaslin

Carter was indeed an inept boob who did great damage to this country and I have no use for him. But I still maintain that the only reason Bill Clinton isn't our worst president is because of Lyndon Johnson. Carter comes in third.
I'm proud to say that I voted against all of them except Johnson, and then only because you had to be 21 to vote back in '64 and I wasn't.


38 posted on 08/06/2005 5:00:47 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (Suffering fools reluctantly since 1947.)
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To: F14 Pilot
Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer

Hey man....I was eating my breakfast when these words came onto my screen. Can't you wait until after lunch to post these things? I'm a little nauseus, but I think I'll make it to work today.

39 posted on 08/06/2005 5:02:06 AM PDT by Tom Bombadil
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Native Son Mondale was VP. They certainly weren't voting for Jimmy.


40 posted on 08/06/2005 5:10:57 AM PDT by GeorgeTex (President Carter - Founder of Radical Islam)
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