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 ...
“Carter Defends Handling of Hostage Crisis”
Jimmah’ senses him moment...
with the right PR and Obama in The White House, Carter might make a
reasonable case that he’s not “The Worst President Ever”.
LOL!!! This is like the Detroit Lions defending last year’s (winless) season. Jimmuh, when you suck, you suck. Learn it, live it, love it.
Give their diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Announce that anyone who harms the hostages will be held accountable. Send the fleet in their direction. Ask Congress for a declaration of war. Make a list of targets: military bases, ships, government buildings, bridges, factories, oil refineries, and get ready to hit them hard.
Probably all unecessary, as they would never try that BS against any reasonably powerful country with a leader who would respond appropriately.
"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."
What an arrogant @sshat!!!!! Obviously brought up in the "Me, me me" generation.
Americans were sitting in long lines to gas up their cars back then.......trust me, Jimmah, you would NOT have won.
Of course, he had no regrets about how he handled it. I wonder if the former hostages have any?
“Obviously, if I had rescued the hostages or they had not been taken, I would have been re-elected.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! His newest career is standup comedy?
Since I was 3 in 1979,I was hoping someone could tell me if coverage of the Crisis was reported everyday,like I was told.
One of my favorite songs! (Now it’ll be stuck in my head).
Harry S Truman?
Just left Ca. for Scottsdale, AZ, and I couldn’t be happier!
What part of calif did ya leave?
Someone’s gotta say it:
Thailand?
You’re correct, but it wasn’t announced until after he was sworn it. Remember the motorcades after his funeral? We need a Reagan to arise from this country. We’re hungry for that person.
Jimmy Carter was/is a coward and a traitor. The attack on our Embassy was an act of WAR by Iran. 90% of our problems with “Islam” can be directed straight back to Carter. Period.
You are right. My eldest, 27 (born in 1982), didn’t understand my contempt for Carter. Until I told her about 1979. She’s a die hard conservative, but never learned about this part of history. She ‘gets’ it now, and has a grasp on what islam is and how it’s all connected. We need to keep telling our kids about the real history of the US, not the manufactured PC version the publik skools teech. Keep it up people! We will win!
Yes. One network even kept a running tally of how many days they'd been held hostage.
Come to think of it that is not unlike my tagline...
Man, you are on a wicked roll here. Your perfect quote from lillian and the agreement thereto, had me spewing mashed potatoes all over the laptop.
I was active duty then also on the America. I remember we went on alert and closed ship the day they were taken hostage and it lasted into the evening. We were scheduled to begin a year overhaul. JFK drew the short straw and we headed up the river to Portsmouth my final year in.
The IO for the carriers back then was bad news. The older KH class carriers didn't have quite enough air conditioning capacity and they were just addressing that issue with us with a 10th chiller we got in overhaul.
It wasn't about comfort though but the A/C was needed for the electronics.
No Jimmah, just one of many, "main factors."
5.56mm
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