Thanks, Jimmuh, for your contributions to current world affairs
Posted on 09/18/2006 9:13:44 PM PDT by FairOpinion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said on Monday the Bush administration had eroded America's global influence with its conduct in Iraq and by condoning the torture of terrorism suspects.
"They have redefined torture to make it convenient for them," Carter said of the Bush administration in an interview with Reuters.
"Things that are unanimously almost or globally assumed to be torture, they claim that this is not torture. I don't think there is any doubt that is what they are doing," said Carter, a Democrat who was president from 1977 to 1981.
He has since been a leading voice on global human rights issues and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Carter, 81, said he was "filled with admiration" for Republican Sens. John McCain and John Warner and former Secretary of State Colin Powell for their effort last week to block President George W. Bush's policies on the treatment of suspected terrorists. The White House and senators are continuing talks in search of a compromise.
"We've lost the support and trust and confidence and admiration that we've had for generations," Carter said, adding the administration "has stonewalled so they can continue to perpetrate this illegal punishment."
"They have obviously subverted facts, that has been proven, and subversion of the law is now becoming more and more apparent," he said, referring to the administration's repeated appeals of court rulings concerning the treatment and legal rights of prisoners at the Guantanamo prison in Cuba.
CARTER SEES AMERICA LESS SAFE
Carter, who has called treatment of detainees at Guantanamo an embarrassment and disgrace, said Americans were less safe since September 11 because Bush mishandled the Iraq war and failed to promote peace efforts between Israel and Palestinians.
Those two factors, he said, "combined to stir up additional animosity and threats of violence not only against us but against allies like Great Britain."
Carter, who is serving as the honorary chairman of Democrats Abroad, said in the telephone interview from his home in Plains, Georgia, that he would encourage Democrats overseas to vote in November, when the party must pick up six Senate seats and 15 House seats to reclaim majorities.
Republicans rejected Carter's criticism and said Bush would not change course.
"While Jimmy Carter is committed to attacking this administration's efforts to keep us safe, President Bush remains committed to waging an aggressive battle with those whose stated goal is to harm Americans," said Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee.
Carter criticized Bush's approach to foreign diplomacy as the president headed to the United Nations for a general session expected to highlight by international skepticism over U.S. policies toward Iran and Iraq.
The White House has ruled out a meeting between Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will also address the General Assembly, and says there will be no lower-level contacts with the Iranian delegation.
"Our government now has a strange and unprecedented and pervasive policy of not speaking to anybody who doesn't agree with us in advance on controversial issues. So we close the door, we go into a closet and pout," Carter said.
"So we don't talk to Iran, we don't talk to Syria, we don't talk to the Palestinian government, we don't talk to North Korea, we don't talk to any leaders around the world who disagree with us and this is where the problems arise," he said.
hehe. Stole that one right here on FR.
More unsolicited advice from the incompetent moron who let the Shah of Iran be deposed and allowed Iran and all its oil money to fall into the hands of the ayatollahs, who spread their hatred and violence and created the very problems that Jimmah criticizes Bush for not handling as brilliantly as he would. At least the Iranians only held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days; Carter held 200 million of us hostage for four years.
"More unsolicited advice from the incompetent moron who let the Shah of Iran be deposed and allowed Iran and all its oil money to fall into the hands of the ayatollahs, who spread their hatred and violence and created the very problems that Jimmah criticizes Bush for not handling as brilliantly as he would. At least the Iranians only held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days; Carter held 200 million of us hostage for four years."
BTTT!
will he EVER go away ?
he, of all people, talking about diminishing the USA.
You beat me to it!
if that dumb ba$tard hadn't sold out the Shan of Iran (and let's not even get into the Panama Canal !) we might not have anything such as is going on today. He's such a pathetic excuse for a human being. The one good thing he did was turn me Republican and I've never looked back, so thanks, Jimmy !
LOL -- in our dreams, huh?
Jimmuh Carter:
THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER!
Jimmah the Commie Moron is a disgrace to America. Some day I hope to pee on his grave. We beat he and his ilk in during the Cold War. At his age, he will never see Communism take over the world. His dream will go unfulfilled.
I still want to know "how he keeps escaping from the NUTHOUSE"?????
The worse the situation gets in Iran, the more this clown attacks Bush in an apparent effort to deflect criticism of his disastrous presidency.
The only thing worse than Jimmah Carter as president, is Jimmah Carter as an ex-president.
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Not like in those great Carter years - when the USA was the laughingstock of the world.
Jimmy Peanut-Brain...when, oh when will we get a respite from this ignoramus? Those of you too young to remember his presidency...trust me, thank your lucky stars.
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