The wisdom of Jimmy Carter

Interviewed Wednesday by Larry King, former US President Jimmy Carter made some fascinating comments. Here are some excerpts:

The importance of negotiation

"...one of the worst things that any human being can do, any government can do is to address one of the most serious problems in the world in a person's human life and say this is my position. If you don't agree with me completely, I'm going to go in a closet and pout. I'm not going to talk to you. I'm not going to consider your concerns. And I'm not going to have any communication with you directly."

"And that's what we're doing now in North Korea. And that's what we're doing with the government of Syria. That's what we're doing with the government of Iran. That's what we're doing with the government of the Palestinians. We're saying, 'you don't agree with us;' therefore, we're not going to have any direct talks with you or keep direct communications with you."

Middle East peace efforts

"..The biggest problem (in the Middle East) has been caused by the total lack of any effort in the last five years to have a comprehensive negotiation between the Palestinians on the one hand and Israel on the other supported by the United States as a fairly objective mediator. This is a radical departure from the effort of all previous presidents since Israel has had an altercation with its neighbors and that included George Bush, Sr. It included me and all the others."

"But this administration has made no serious effort at all to bring the disputing parties together to act as a trusted mediator and to bring a comprehensive solution to the Mid-East situation, which obviously involves a two state solution with Israel living in its own borders, with the Palestinians living in their borders and supported by the international community under the aegis of the international quartet and based on the roadmap plans. That's what needs to be done. The United States I think is a major culprit in not orchestrating such peace efforts."

Dick Cheney's 'untrue statements'

King asked Carter for his reaction to Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion that criticism of the Iraq War emboldens United States enemies and makes allies doubt American resolve.

"Well, the vice president unfortunately has been consistently very careless with the truth. He still maintains some preposterous comments and attitudes toward the origins of the Iraqi war, the circumstances in Iraq now and he's had a policy in my opinion of deliberately trying to mislead the American people by making untrue statements and there's no reason to give any credence to his ridiculous claims that you've just described."

King asked Carter if he was questioning Cheney's motives. "Do you think he doesn't really agree with what we're doing?"

"I really don't know what his real policies or beliefs are but I do know that he's been most consistent since the very origin of the Iraqi war in deliberately misleading the American people by making false statements, statements that I'm sure he knew were not true."

"And this is a very serious thing for a highly placed official in America to do and even now he still will not admit, for instance, that Saddam Hussein was not at least partially possible for the 9/11 attacks, when the president himself has said that's a false statement."

"And to constantly say that anybody that criticizes any aspect of our misguided policies in Iraq are unpatriotic and imply our condoning of terrorist attacks is completely ridiculous and ought to be refuted forcefully by everybody."

"We've alienated the almost unanimous support that we had around the world for our policy in fighting terrorism as we shifted out of Afghanistan and let Osama bin Laden go free. All of these emphases have been mistaken. And when any Democrat or any citizen who doesn't have any political orientation says that we've made a mistake it seems that the vice president says "Well you are unpatriotic if you disagree with anything we've done."

Read the full transcript of the interview here.

Comments

[jojo]

Amen. That we have been without an administration that speaks as honestly concisely and respectfully as Carter always has... is just tragic.

[AscenderRisesAbove]

saw a special on carter a few weeks ago. what a nice nice man. I miss having a president.

[tinker]

I have always thought of Jimmy Carter as an intelligent, honest and noble man. He's also courageous - to speak so candidly, given today's political atmosphere.
(as an American, I think that is a very scary thing. I thought I recalled there some little amendment thingy about free speech, somewhere on our books...)

[wendy]

President Carter is the first one I decided I would vote for..standing on the school ground in my Catholic uniform. I think I was 11..When he got demolished as a pres..I thought I must have made a mistake...now I see that an honest, sensible man in Washington, was just Shark bait. We need another farmer in the white house. Someone who has worked..and knows the logical truths of the world.

[January]

Again, I can't believe Dubya got elected twice! What does this say about us as a nation.

My hope is that things start to turn in a few months with mid-term elections in Congress. Maybe the American people have had enough.

Jimmy Carter is so wise. So happy he is now an elder statesman. The White House could take a page out of his book.

Also, Jimmy Carter is a decent poet -- what's not to love about this man!

[ainelivia]

"Well, the vice president unfortunately has been consistently very careless with the truth." How gently and truthfully President Carter says these words. And who can say they are not true.

I missed this interview, as I also missed President Carter being interviewed on BBC2's Newsnight. Thanks Tara for posting on this.

There's a saying, "there's none so deaf as those that do not wish to hear", and it can be applied to those who don't wish to hear Jimmy Carter, long may he continue to speak his truth to power.

And he shows the world that not every American is a reflection of their current president or his administration. He reflects the sense of disappointment and betrayal felt, I believe by many Americans.

[patry]

Sorry I missed that interview; thanks for reprinting the key points here.

[Rosa]

He was too good to be president. Everyone ate him alive. Sad. What a good man.

[Paris Parfait]

I think that Jimmy Carter is a wonderful, compassionate human being with a brilliant intellect, kind heart and tremendous generosity of spirit. He has done more to help the world than most. Rel, as for Bush? In my opinion, he was elected only once.

[rel]

Tara,
Ive always admired Pres. Carter.
I believe he got a raw deal at re-election, but overall we (the voting public) thrive on aggression and balk at peace, so he didn't stand much of a chance.

How did G.W. get elected twice? Not for his intellect!
rel

[abhay]

Hi Tara,
All the great things I miss I find at your blog...
cheers!

[meredith]

Jimmy Carter was a president we could be proud of. He remains an intelligent American voice.

[Sophie]

I love Jimmy Carter.
And democracy? The word is bastardized
in the US.

[ally bean]

I've always listened to what Jimmy Carter says. He's smart and fair. Now, how do we get W to listen to him?

[Colette]

I've always liked and admired President Carter. I've always been mystified that he was called "weak" and not re-elected. Goodness, negotiation rather than war, dove rather than hawk....it seemed the voters didn't want this kind of man as president; they preferred Ronald Reagan who acted and slept through his presidency. Let's face it, it was his cabinet that ran the country, he just acted the part.

But -- the cream rises to the top. Thank you for the link. I downloaded the transcript.

xox

[Deborah]

I have respected Jimmy Carter for years, this only reinforces my opinion of him ... thank you for posting this interview, Tara.

[Alexandra]

Jimmy Carter was just too good of a man to be President in our twisted country. So often I have heard people comment that he wasn't a good President and the reality is he was never given the true chance. I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY with Carter's comments about Cheney. I saw that interview this past Sunday with Cheney and what is most alarming to me is that even when directly confronted with their own words that have since been proven wrong, they wiggle out and refuse to admit it or take any accountability, AND they believe themselves. I think that Bush and Cheney are two of the most dangerous men in the world today.

[jzr]

I knew at the time he was President that he was a remarkable man and much too before his time. I have the deepest respect for him and is one that the whole world should listen to.

[Pacian]

That whole line of thought embodied by Cheney's assertion annoys the crap out of me whenever it arises. If someone thinks that criticising the people in charge is a bad thing, then they have a problem with one of the most important principles of democracy.

[Catalina]

I believe it is important to any country to not lose self criticism. Just to think "we are the best" (so, we don't do mistakes, etc) does not help some people in the United States to see some truths: like governments just doing what they are interested in to keep power, instead of doing what is best for "people" in general.

Thank you again Tara

[Becca]

Mr. Carter is most assuredly the voice of reason. If only someone were listening...

[kristen]

Jimmy Carter is so dignified, smart and good of heart; it makes me happy for him because he had a rough go of it when he was president. I love that he calls it like it is, I just wish his words would resonate a little louder with those that vote for the fools now running our country.