Posted on 11/16/2009 12:54:51 PM PST by Baladas
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Nov. 16) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Monday that he had no regrets about his handling of the Iran hostage crisis more than 30 years ago, saying he didn't attack the country as his advisers proposed because thousands of people would have died.
Islamic militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, and seized its occupants. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.
Carter acknowledged that his failure to bring the hostages home — including a botched rescue mission in which eight U.S. servicemen died — led to his election defeat to President Ronald Reagan in 1980. The hostages were released on Jan. 20, 1981, just minutes after Reagan was sworn in as the new president.
"I don't have any doubt that was the main factor in my defeat," Carter told reporters in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, where he was helping build houses for Habitat for Humanity. "Obviously, if I had rescued the hostages or they had not been taken, I would have been re-elected."
Carter said one proposed option was a military strike on Iran, but he chose to stick with negotiations to prevent bloodshed and bring the hostages home safely.
"My main advisers insisted that I should attack Iran," he said. "I could have destroyed Iran with my weaponry. But I felt in the process it was likely the hostages' lives would be lost, and I didn't want to kill 20,000 Iranians. So I didn't attack."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.aol.com ...
What someone should ask Carter is “What is the color of the sky on you planet?”
This man was a walking display of moronic thinking. Everything he touched turned into crap.
The American people were fed up with his wishy-washy style. 19% inflation,high gas prices,unemployment. The hostage thing was only the tip of the pimple for his not getting a 2nd term.
Why doesnt he go back to building homes for the homeless?
I distinctly remember an Iranian official, all decked out in his finest mullah looking garb, with a shoebox containing the remains of one of our boys charred feet.
I was active Navy at the time, we cross-decked with the Nimitz before they went on their mission on our way back from a “med cruise”, the mighty Nimitz was involved big time in that debacle.
Word was that the Nimitz was being sent to the Indian ocean for an unbelievable 10 month deployment.
Diego Garcia was mentioned and we had no clue what was going on at the time. After it was said and done it really boiled down to carter hanging them out to dry in the desert of Iran, carter is scum.
Q.E.D.
Sure, thousands of THEM would’ve died and America would not have been bullied by worthless 3rd world banana republics before Ronald Reagan stepped in and showed Jimmuh what a leader should be.
Jimmuh should’ve gotten a job as a mid-level retail manager where he wouldn’t have to make the kind of decisions that a world leader has to. He was amateur night, Zero is now, and it’s downright terrible for the country.
I hate how liberal leaders are treated in this country. They lie and cheat through the election by an electorate that knows it. They don’t care. Just get him elected and he’ll BS his way through it. The media will make it rosy no matter how amateurish and idiotic. Jimmuh’s handling of the economy, like Zero’s now, isn’t their fault. The media tells us they’re doing a wonderful job in handling an inevitable situation, and it’s really sad how many people are buying that line of CRAP!
With matching interest rates and unemployment. Just like Kawtuh, Obama is tanking so bad that a case of dynamite under his butt won't lift him in the polls.
Aye, and my first home, post-Reagan, 8 percent.
Yah, gas lines and price fixing. Yup, central economy control. Soviet. Well done Jimmuh. Did I mention horse’s ass?
no regrets about his handling of the Iran hostage crisisWhat handling? The crisis handled him.
Great point.
“My weaponry” actually belonged to the United States of America. He was a mere steward of that power.
Under W, a couple years ago, we refinanced at 4.65% (went from a 30 to 20 year loan, payment increased by $35), we were watching, just locked in by a couple days short of the lowest rate. Thank God we are frugal.
I’ll never forget, watching Reagan’s inauguration, and shortly after sworn in, Iran released the hostages. It was great. Ted Koppel, America Held Hostage, Nightline was born. It was sweet revenge to Carter.
Did you hear anything today about the UN doing secret dealings with Iran about nukes? It was a blip on one of the top of the news radio shows. I haven’t seen more. I wonder if that was a false story.
“Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Monday that he had no regrets about his handling of the Iran hostage crisis more than 30 years ago, saying he didn’t attack the country as his advisers proposed because thousands of people would have died.”
And how many have died since you didn’t do anything thirty years ago Mr. Carter? The answer is in the thousands.
“”Obviously, if I had rescued the hostages or they had not been taken, I would have been re-elected.”
Bullscoot! You were a total failure, not a single issue failure Mr. Carter. You would not have been reelected period.
Hey Jimmah, you nasty ole $%#%^^&)*$.
Shut up.
It's not obvious that he would have been re-elected at all.
He is still as delusional as ever. Gawd, he was bad. BUT Obama is far worse. At least Carter had served in the Navy and new something, even if he was and still is a whiney lefty noodle sucker.
The Israelis know.Carter still gives good noodle.
He’s too freaking stupid to understand that his coddling of terrorists was one of the precursors to 9/11/01. Stupid ass.
Haven't heard a peep about it, but wouldn't doubt for a second: food for nukes? The U.N. is a socialist criminal organization.
Wait, you mean Kofi wasn't tied to a post and executed on the shores of Nigeria on live TV following "food for oil" theft of BILLIONS?
The U.N. deserves NOT ONE CENT from the American citizens. Not a penny.
Proof positive.
The U.N. is a Socialist criminal organization.
The day is coming when they will be driven from our shores.
What a disgrace! Jimmuh...you are beyond contempt for starting this mooslim terrorist nonsense by not blowing their dumb a**es to smithereens. Your weakness has persisted throughout your loser life.
I agree the UN’s days are numbered, unless we don’t win 2010. If we lose 2010, the US finished.
Correction:
I agree the UN’s days are numbered, unless we don’t win 2010. If we lose 2010, the US is finished.
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