Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

CARTER: Bush is worst US president in my lifetime
Nation Multimedia ^ | November 23, 2009 | Nation Multimedia

Posted on 11/23/2009 1:13:22 AM PST by killjoy

The United States' 39th president sat down with THE NATION'S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SUTHICHAI YOON to discuss major issues affecting the world today. Here are excerpts from the exclusive interview:

Suthichai: How do you assess President Obama's performance so far?

Carter: He has set a good goal for himself in many ways. He has announced an end to torture. He has announced his goal to do away with nuclear weapons. He has changed the image of my country among many people around the world.

Do you think he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize?

Yes, I do.

Some people don't agree with that.

I was surprised when he got it so early. But I think the Nobel committee looked at what he had already said and done. There is no doubt that he has transformed our country's image - and the reputation of our country. He has also set himself some goals that are very admirable.

Do you think he can sustain the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan?

My hope is we will withdraw from Iraq very quickly. Unless there is a violent change, I think we will withdraw as scheduled by the end of 2011.

Afghanistan is another story.

Yes, it's another story. I hope we will withdraw our massive military effort in Afghanistan to reconcile with the people and cut down on the violence and attacks on the Afghanistan people.

Do you think Afghanistan may turn into another Vietnam?

I hope not … I don't think so.

Do you think President Obama can handle it all?

He is one of the most brilliant presidents we have ever had. He is very wise. He is under tremendous pressure in our country. I still have confidence in him.

Is there anything you don't like about him, so far?

I wish he could have been more forceful in pursuing his goal in the Middle East. He announced that there should not be any more settlements … and he has backed away from that. But maybe, he is just biding his time.

Iran. He says he is willing to negotiate with that country's leadership too.

I think that's very good. We also sent our assistant secretary of state to Burma. I agree with that. And I think we should have an ambassador in Syria as well. Also, I would like to see us have direct talks with North Korea.

Cuba?

Yes, Cuba too. When I was president, after having been in office only two months, I removed all the travel restrictions to Cuba. And we opened an office in Havana and Washington. And they are still there in Washington. They are still there. I was very keen to have diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Unfortunately, [Fidel] Castro then was dominated by the Soviet Union and he sent a large number of troops to a number of countries in Africa and so forth. If it hadn't been for that, we would have had established diplomatic relations with Cuba.

What do you think is the biggest threat to the world now?

In the long term, I think the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a kind of a festering cancer that can erupt in the future into a big conflict. This is the issue that arouses terrorism and animosity against our country for many people. All the Arab countries have agreed to recognise Israel diplomatically - and as a trade partner. All 56 Islamic countries, including Iran and Indonesia - provided that Israel withdraws from Palestine. That, I think, is the main threat to a large war.

You also met the late North Korean leader, Kim il-Sung. How did you find him?

I was there in 1994. He was very intelligent. Very smart. He knew everything about his country. He had been a dictator for 50 years. He knew every building … when it was built, what it was for … etc … And I got along quite well with him. I negotiated with him to have a summit meeting with South Korea's president … and he was planning the summit when he died. He died only one month after I was there.

And, as you know, following up on what I had prepared, the summit did take place between Kim Jong-il and Kim Dae-jung and Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize for that.

I think in the long term, we will see some reconciliation between the two Koreas.

Are you concerned about China's rise?

The day Deng Xiaoping and I announced full diplomatic relations between China and the US, three days later, in 1978, he announced economic reform and he proceeded with that. He promised me that he would also guarantee freedom of worship and they did in 1982. He promised that Bibles could be distributed in China. And he did as promised. Before that a Chinese person could not move from one village to another without permission from Beijing. Now, there is free movement.

They haven't gone as far as I had hoped in political freedom. But the Carter Centre for the last 10 years has had a contract with China. We monitor their small village elections. They have about 650,000 villages and they are not part of the communist system. The Communist Party starts with townships, large cities, counties and provinces.

They have very honest village elections. When you reach 18, you are registered to vote automatically. Everybody is expected to vote. You can run for elections for three years. You can run for re-elections. You don't have to be a communist. In fact, very few of them are communists. Perfectly free and fair and honest elections (at that village level).

But there have evolved some conflicts because of that. In the past, the townships controlled those little villages and now the villages accept their own leaders they want to control. So, last year, there were about 40,000 conflicts - disputes - in China.

We have very good relations with the leaders of China. We also work with them on health and economic development programmes in small villages.

So, you believe it when China says its rise won't threaten the rest of the world?

I believe they mean it when they say that. China is going to become one of the superpowers soon, if not already. Everywhere that I go, in Latin America and Africa, the Chinese are in every country, trading with the people, giving them financial assistance, contracting for their raw materials - oil, copper, zinc, bauxite, also food, such as soybean. The Chinese are becoming very aggressive around the world, politically as well as economically.

…at the expense of the United States?

In some cases … in the last eight years, yes. Because under our previous president, we lost those kinds of friendship. One thing that I believe President Obama will do is to regain some of those friendly, good relationships.

Did you actually say that president Bush was the leader of the worst administration in the United States?

Yes, I think he was, in my lifetime … and I have a long lifetime.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; carter; idiotalert; jimmycarter; obama; stuckonstupid; totalidiot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-106 next last
To: killjoy

Of course if one asks Jimmy who the best President ever was, he would answer “Fidel Castro”.


41 posted on 11/23/2009 3:40:51 AM PST by JohnLongIsland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

Carter reminds me of the fit-throwing little brat in the family that demands attention and will try to get it by any means possible. Ignore them (him), take the audience away (the ahem, press (?)) and they will eventually go away.


42 posted on 11/23/2009 3:44:18 AM PST by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Carter, is the most influential President in my life time. Without him we still own the Panama Canal. Without him we still have a stable government in Iran. Without him we wouldn't have had Ronald Reagan. One could go on and on.
43 posted on 11/23/2009 3:49:39 AM PST by Recon Dad (SSgt O - 3rd Afghanistan Deployment - Day 34)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

I’m surprised he didn’t go on to take credit for saving the world from Three Mile Island. Oh, wait...I forgot; it’s malfunctioning again! Hey, Carturd, why don’t you do us all a favor and put on your booties and go up there and sniff around for a while?


44 posted on 11/23/2009 3:52:26 AM PST by LittleBillyInfidel (''If you look good and speak well, people will buy anything.'' - Criswell in ED WOOD.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

Ted Kennedy’s death (let me repeat, and savor that word...DEATH) is still at the top of my list: Top Ten Feel-Good News Stories of 2009. Ted. Kennedy’s. Death. Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmm. Ted. Kennedy’s. Death. Death. Death. Deathity, deathity, deathity. Kennedy. Kennedy. Kennedy. Dead. Dead. Dead. MMmmmmmmmmm. Mmm.


45 posted on 11/23/2009 3:55:17 AM PST by Arthur McGowan (In Edward Kennedy's America, federal funding of brothels is a right, not a privilege.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

Carter needs to go home and shut up. He is an Anti Semite and a sorry excuse for a politician. Carter will go down along with Barry Zero as the worst presidents in American History.


46 posted on 11/23/2009 3:59:00 AM PST by Paige ("All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing," Edmund Burke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Arthur McGowan

Ted Kennedy dying was the only good thing that happened in 2009.


47 posted on 11/23/2009 4:03:50 AM PST by Lazamataz (DEFINITION: rac-ist (rA'sis't) 1. Anyone who disagrees with a liberal about any topic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Did you actually say that president Bush was the leader of the worst administration in the United States? Yes, I think he was, in my lifetime … and I have a long lifetime. "

Look in the mirror you POS peanut farmer!

48 posted on 11/23/2009 4:08:38 AM PST by TPOOH (I wish I could have been Jerry Reed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

Jimmy Carter, you’re an even bigger joke now than you were during your presidency.


49 posted on 11/23/2009 4:10:09 AM PST by Clara Lou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

Actually I’m surprised he didn’t say Reagan... I’ve been reading Kessler’s book about All the President’s Men and Carter was a mean, vindictive little man.


50 posted on 11/23/2009 4:11:24 AM PST by EmilyGeiger (The problem with socialism, is eventually you run out of other people's money. Margaret Thatcher)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Daisyjane69
I had to look twice. Thought it was from The Onion. LOL

I agree. Insulted by Jimmah Carter.... ROTFLMAO

51 posted on 11/23/2009 4:24:15 AM PST by CASchack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Ronin

Jimmy needs to hit the Crypt.


52 posted on 11/23/2009 4:34:50 AM PST by angcat ("GO YANKEES")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Maybe Jimmy is way to modest to claim the title of worst for himself. Just being polite :)


53 posted on 11/23/2009 4:35:37 AM PST by all the best
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: killjoy

It is so weird how politics works. The Republicans will say that Carter is the worst President and the Democrats will say that Bush is the worst President...they used to say Reagan. It is so strange for two groups of people to see the complete opposite thing in life.


54 posted on 11/23/2009 4:36:14 AM PST by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Hey, Jimmy! F You!!!

You're just happy ZeroBama will take your place as the WORST ever. You will, however, remain the Absolute WORST Ex-Prez.

In case you missed it... F YOU!

55 posted on 11/23/2009 4:36:21 AM PST by Feckless (Don't care where he was born. The oath I took said "...all enemies, foreign and domestic".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
No jimmah... u bees number two... and that pos muzzie communist in the Whitehouse today spares you the indignity of being the all time worst President ever... hussein the muzzie owns that slot... but you ran a very close second jimmah... you anti-American pos trash.

LLS

56 posted on 11/23/2009 4:44:24 AM PST by LibLieSlayer (hussama will never be my president... NEVER!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Ohh WOe is me... Whys everybody pickin on me???

57 posted on 11/23/2009 4:47:14 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist *DTOM* -ww- I AM JIM THOMPSON!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChiMark

I think President Carter is starting to suffer from dementia.


58 posted on 11/23/2009 4:53:41 AM PST by castlegreyskull
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

“Ted Kennedy dying was the only good thing that happened in 2009.”

What about Orca announcing the possible end to her dumb show?


59 posted on 11/23/2009 4:58:16 AM PST by castlegreyskull
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
CARTER: Bush is worst US president in my lifetime”

Hey Carter, look in the mirror..the guy you see there is the worst president in the history of this country....until 0bama takes over that distinction.

60 posted on 11/23/2009 5:00:00 AM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-106 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson