Posted on 05/19/2007 5:33:14 AM PDT by Valin
LONDON (AP) - Britain's support for the war in Iraq was a "major tragedy" for the world, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Saturday, as he criticized Tony Blair's unwavering support for George W. Bush. Asked how he would judge the British prime minister's support of Bush, Carter said: "Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient."
"And I think the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world," Carter told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
Blair was in Baghdad on Saturday morning for what will be his last trip to Iraq as British prime minister. Last week, Blair announced that he would step down June 27, making way for Treasury chief Gordon Brown.
The war in Iraq has been the defining foreign policy issue of Blair's premiership, and the decision to join the U.S.-led invasion was an unpopular one at home. So far, nearly 150 British service personnel have died in Iraq.
Carter said Britain's support made it more difficult for critics of the war, and that things could have been different if Britain had spoken out against the 2003 invasion.
"I can't say it would have made a definitive difference, but it would certainly have assuaged the problems that arose lately," said Carter, who was U.S. president from 1977 to 1981 and has been a critic of the war.
"One of the defenses of the Bush administration, in the American public and on a worldwide basis, and it's not been successful in my opinion, has been that, OK, we must be more correct in our actions than the world thinks because Great Britain is backing us.
"And so I think the combination of Bush and Blair giving their support to this tragedy in Iraq has strengthened the effort, and has made opposition less effective and has prolonged the war and increased the tragedy that has resulted."
It was not the first time Carter has criticized Britain. Last year, he said he was disappointed with "the apparent subservience" of the British government to Washington on issues such as Iraq and last summer's Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
He’s a fine one to talk about tragedy of leadership./s
"Members of Congress, ours are not Western values, they are the universal values of the human spirit. And anywhere, any time ordinary people are given the chance to choose, the choice is the same: freedom, not tyranny; democracy, not dictatorship; the rule of law, not the rule of the secret police."
"So America must listen as well as lead. But, members of Congress, don't ever apologize for your values.
Tell the world why you're proud of America. Tell them when the Star-Spangled Banner starts, Americans get to their feet, Hispanics, Irish, Italians, Central Europeans, East Europeans, Jews, Muslims, white, Asian, black, those who go back to the early settlers and those whose English is the same as some New York cab drivers I've dealt with, but whose sons and daughters could run for this Congress. Tell them why Americans, one and all, stand upright and respectful. Not because some state official told them to, but because whatever race, color, class or creed they are, being American means being free. That's why they're proud."
Tony Blair 7/17/03
Mr. Cartier from Welcome Back?
Unbelievable how no one ever swings back at the cowardly Carter, a petty cheap shot artist who was overwhelmingly rejected by the American people.
Carter is pathetic.
Current Freeper calls Carter’s continued consumption of oxygen a major tragedy.
Carter’s entire public life has been, and continues to be, a tragedy.
Follow-up headline: “Americans apologize to world for having once elected Jimmy Carter”
Hell, the Peanut started the whole Muzzie Mess when he helped dump the Shah. This was all predicted—check the WSJ Editorials of the day.
You’re only saying that because....it true.
I can only imagine what a joy it was to serve on a sub with him as Capt.
I didn’t even have to read the article to know it was Carter.
Carter is a sort of ‘reverse barometer’ of what makes sense. Anything that he says can be depended on to be the opposite of what a rational conclusion on examination of the facts would be.
I dimly recall that he was right about something once recently- provoking a lot of ‘stopped clock’ comments, but whatever it was- it was so buried by the usual nonsense that it doesn’t count.
I sometimes wonder if he’s adopted contrarianism as a sort of personal motif; ‘What kind of crap can I say today, that’ll drive them ballistic’?
Sad to think that someday this little fart is going to deserve the same send-off that Ronald Reagan got.
why do they let that ossified old goat speak. I am sure SOROS is using this alzheimer’s patient.
He may have been a decent naval officer. It wasn’t until after he got into ‘rat politics that he became insane.
I don't know- Reagan's send off was quietly attended by huge, well-behaved crowds. Some of them were pretty recognizable names, and they were conspicuous by not pulling that 'do you know who I am' head-of-the-line stuff.
I can't see Jimmuh's mob being so numerous or well-behaved.
...and was NOT President from 1981 to 1985, because he refused to stand up to nationalized terrorism from the Muslim world.
A failure as president criticizes a prime minister, president, and country, all in one felt swoop.
Is this kinda like a congress, with a 28% approval rating, expressing a lack of confidence in Attny. General Gonzales?
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