Ex-president Jimmy Carter has a unique reputation among many of his fellow citizens- not unlike that of crazy Uncle Jim who lives in your basement apartment and is kept out of public view at all costs.
One would hope that an ex-president with the kind of record of domestic and foreign policy failures Mr. Carter racked up during his four years in Washington would have the common decency to avoid commenting on the current world scene...especially when his errors in policy, especially on Iran and the Middle East are so obvious and impact so clearly on current events.
Not Jimmy Carter!
Recently, he authored a screed so full of outright lies and distortions and one sided bigotry that it needs commenting on. Anyone with the stomache to read this in its entirety can do so here
Let's start with his opening salvo:
" For more than a quarter of a century, Israeli policy has been in conflict with that of the US and the international community. Israel's occupation of Palestine has obstructed a comprehensive peace agreement in the Holy Land - regardless of whether Palestinians had no formal government, one headed by Yasser Arafat, or one with Mahmoud Abbas as president and Hamas controlling the parliament and the cabinet."
Let's see... that brings us back to 1981. It ignores Israel's defeat of the Soviet Union and its proteges in the region, winning a significant victory for the West without the necessity of a single US soldier being committed. It also ignores Israel's contribution to US intel in the region, as often acclaimed by US security agencies and politicians across the board. And 1981..wasn't that the year Israel took out Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor at Osirak, thus saving perhaps thousands of American lives in the subsequent Gulf War? Obviously, subsequent administrations, all of whom have considered Israel an important ally would disagree with Carter's contention.
And as for Israel `obstructing' a comprehensive peace agreement..isn't it Israel that has been consistently attacked, boycotted and demonized by its Arab neighbors since its inception? And wasn't it Israel that took a major(and demonstrably futile) risk for peace by allowing its sworn enemy Yasir Arafat to set up what proved to be a terrorist enclave on its borders as part of the Oslo Accords?
Most interesting about this opening paragraph is Carter's linkage of Arafat, Abbas and Hamas, which, considering the PLO and the Hamas charter's view on Israel and Jews tells us a lot about Carter's feelings about Israel and Jews in general.
Let's go on...
"...the universally adopted UN resolution 242 has mandated Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories. As part of the Quartet, including Russia, the UN and the EU, George Bush has endorsed a "road map" for peace. But Israel has officially rejected its basic premises."
First of all, Resolution 242 did NOT mandate Israel's withdrawal from ALL of the occupied territories. It mentioned withdrawal of `occupied territories'in exchange for a comprehensive peaceful settlement with no mention of a Palestinian State; and Israel subsequently withdrew from over 80% of the territories it conquered after the defensive war of 1967. The `peaceful settlement' part seems to be somewhat lacking.
Second, the basic premise of Oslo and the Road Map was `land for peace'. Israel has given substantial amounts of land to the Palestinians, even uprooting its own citizens. It is the Palestinians who have not complied with their part of the equation..an end to terrorism against Israel, recogniton of Israel's right to exist and an end to the anti-Semitic incitement and demonization of Jews and Israel in the Palestinian mosques, media and schools.
"With Israel's approval, the Carter Center has monitored all three Palestinian elections. They have all been honest and peaceful, with the results accepted by winners and losers."
Which elections are you talking about. Mr. Carter? The Stalin-like one where Arafat ran unopposed except for an 80 year old woman who told everybody to vote for Arafat? Or the most recent one that featured gun battles between Hamas and Fatah supporters, and had the Palestinian `security' forces voting in their barracks under the eyes of their officers?
"Israel has announced a policy of destabilising the new government... The elected officials will be denied travel permits, and every effort is being made to block funds to Palestinians. ...Hamas now wishes to consolidate its political gains, maintain domestic order and stability, and refrain from contacts with Israel. It will be a tragedy if it promotes or condones terrorism."
Guess what, Mr. Carter? Hamas official policy is to condone and promote terrorism against Israel, non-recognition of Israel and support of `resistance', its euphamism for terrorist activity. Are you that unconscious? Even as you wrote this drivel, several major terrorist attacks on Israel were foiled by the vigilance of Israeli security, and barrages of Qassam missles are launched out of Gaza every day. Even the Karni crossing in Gaza, designed for the Palestinian's benefit to allow access for goods and services had to be closed after several major terrorist assaults on the crossing occurred-assaults that killed Palestinians as well as Jews.
As for travel permits, a number of these `elected officials' are terrorists with innocent blood on their hands, including a number who were tried and imprisoned by Israel for murder, like Marwan Barghouti. Should Israel allow its avowed enemies freedom of movement? Would the US do that with al Qaeda? Yes, I know...we would if you were still in the White House.
"The pre-eminent obstacle to peace is Israel's colonisation of Palestine."
No, Mr. Carter. The pre-eminent obstacle to peace, as you put it, is the Arab refusal to live next to Jews in peace and equality.That's the central issue, and if it weren't, where the borders were wouldn't be important.
There are almost a million Arabs who live in Israel as citizens, with the right to vote and the full protection of law. Care to show me a similar community of Jews with those rights in the Arab world?
"Recently, Israeli leaders have decided on unilateral actions without involving either the US or the Palestinians... Especially troublesome is Israel's construction of huge concrete dividing walls in populated areas and high fences in rural areas. The wall is designed to surround a truncated Palestine completely...This will never be acceptable either to Palestinians or to the international community, and will inevitably precipitate increased tension within Palestine and stronger resentment from the Arab world against America, which will be held accountable for the plight of the Palestinians."
Wrong again, Mr. Carter. Israel's defensive barrier was not designed to `truncate Palestine' but to protect its people from terrorists and homicide bombers. One came before the other.I realize that the very existence of these nasty `colonists' in Israel is a problem for you, but you can hardly expect them to co-operate in their own deaths and dismemberment.
Suicide is...well, more of a Palestinian specialty, if you don't mind me pointing that out.
As for the last bit about resentment towards America, it's pretty obvious that our ex-president thinks that the hatred for America in parts of the Arab world would magically disappear if all those nasty Jews in Israel suddenly moved to another location. Guess what, Mr. Carter? If Israel magically ceased to exist, the Arabs would have to invent it, as a diversion from their own failed societies...and the Arab world's responsibility for the plight of those Palestinians you're so concerned about. Same with America, by the way, Strong, prosperous non-Islamic societies are a contradiction to the Islamist belief system.
And here's the biggest whopper of the bunch:
"There is little doubt that accommodation with Palestinians can bring full Arab recognition of Israel and its right to live in peace. Any rejectionist policies of Hamas or any terrorist group will be overcome by an Arab commitment to restrain further violence and to promote the wellbeing of the Palestinian people."
Gee, Mr. Carter..if that's true, then why have the Arab nations consistently supported terrorist violence against Israel, even when it resulted in worse conditions for the Palestinian people? Why do they continue to do so today? And that `accomodation' with the Palestinians you go on about is simply the Arab League's Beirut Plan, which calls for Israeli withdrawl to the indefensible borders that have led to 4 attempts by the Arab world to annihilate Israel, the division of Israel's capitol city Jerusalem without any access by Jews to their holiest sites, the mass release of terrorists in Israeli custody and the swamping of Israel with thousands of so-called hostile `refugees'....in exchange for which Israel receives a promise of undefined `relations'. At least for the short time it would exist.
An unfulfilled,utterly failed and bigoted politician might try to hide his innermost feelings behind a veneer of political correctness and outright falsehood.
But I have a friend who works in a rape crisis center, and through my conversations with her about her work I have a decent understanding of Jimmy Carter's attitude towards Israel. It's called blaming the victim.
20 comments:
Carter simply digusts me.
What revolting pile of human refuse!
I agree.
Are you guys ok in Oz with the hurricane?
great posting
I'm going to use it when I post my Shmendrik of the Year awards.
(Don't tell any body but we're giving Jimmy a "lifetime Achievement Award").
Thanx,
Dry Bones
Israel's Political Comic Strip Since 1973
Carter - most honorable president in our lifetime - you can twist his words, but you can't deny his facts and good efforts. It's a measure of how much the truth hurts that he can get such a reaction from lost souls like you. But I do think you can "spin" better than "W" - but that's not saying much, is it?
Well, Anonymous,
We obviously have a very different idea of what `honorable'and `truth' means.
Carter is a bigot and blatantly misrepresents facts, and that is obvious to any objective observer.
As for twisting his words...click on the link and you will see that what I used in the article is DIRECTLY quoted from Carter's own piece.
Perhaps you, like Mr. Carter feel in your heart of hearts that America's problems in the Middle East would magically disappear if Israel didn't exist...the obvious result if Carter's recommendations were followed.
That is a fallacy, but you're welcome.
Sorry Fighter,
But you just keep proving my point by suggesting that my words have hidden meanings. You have every right to be furious at the wrongs committed against the Jews. But you serve no one by applying your paranoia. This conflict is beyond anyone suggesting right or wrong - it's just insanely out of control.
So if even the Irish could make progress, why can't y'all?
Afterall, the way it's going now, all that's next is more violence, evil doing and destruction for all.
I wouldn't suggest for a second that your adversaries (the violent ones) are anything less than scum buckets. But, you know at some point someone has to just stop and say "PEACE" please. In Ireland it was the mothers of the dead......
`Paranoia'?
Do you have the slightest doubt that the Arabs would murder every Jew in Israel downto the last infant if they had the opportunity?
If you do, I have a bridge to sell you.
I've heard the analogy of Northern Ireland used before to describe the Middle East. And I think its bogus.
As one who has some knowledge of that conflict and its history, I would state catagorically that they are two VERY different situations.
For one thing, Israel was not forcibly invaded from outside as Ireland was. It was created by vote in the UN, which has subsequently done NOTHING to protect it from outside aggresion.
For another, Ireland was and is not surrounded by genocidal maniacs with a vested interest in prolonging the conflict and using the Catholics or Protestants in Northern Ireland as `shock troops' to dislodge the other group in its entirety.
The uneasy truce in Northern Ireland
(I wouldn't quite call it peace yet) came because of these factors:
A) the widespread disapproval of the IRA and the Unionists and their tactics BY THE CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT inhabitants THEMSELVES (unlike the Palestinians, who have CONSISTENTLY glorified Islamic terrporism and just elected Hamas to fight the War aginst the Jews by a wide margin)
B) The Republic of Ireland outlawing the provisional wing of the IRA and effectively stopping the flow of weaponry and money. (Unlike Egypt, Syria or Iran)
C) There was no widespread, in depth demonization and indoctriniation on either side to compare with the efforts of the Palestinians in their mosques, schools and media.
D) The Catholics and Protestants lived together in Northern Ireland and had no question of eliminating the legal and human rights of the othewr group,nor was the elimination of those rights supported by a government.(While Arabs and Jews live together and enjoy full rights in Israel, the same is NOT true of the PaLestinians or any other Arab country)
There are other dissimilarities, but that will do for a start.
It is the Israelis who have made the overtures for peace in this conflict, and the Arabs who have been the rejectionists.
Read up on it.
Hey Guys...& one freedom fighter,
I am new here and just read this discussion. P E A C E ~ B E is the only alternative 4 sustainable health ~ human & all other life here on Earth.
I say ALLAH please change the retoric taught islam's religious schools so that children are not indoctrinated to heavenly rewards by suicide.
And to the JEWS I say grow out of it. We are all equal under a true god of all life if there is such a thing...
GOD I mean...
Freo`7 Idaho USA Earth & Beyond...
"WE ARE THE SOLUTION & WE ARE ONE"
Thanks for weighing in.
Let me know when the shuttle lands.
Hey Fighter,
I'm sure you're right. But it just doesn't matter. Until folks start talking more about PEACE than violence, we're all doomed. If every gunshot is only answered with another, we just get death. There is no other answer. Unless we make PEACE the constant chant from our hearts, nothing will change and better bombs will prevail. I am sure that there are many who would "wipe you off the map" if they could. But you can't contain them forever and you can't kill them all. You really have no other choice but to take the high road to PEACE. It's just a question of how many die before saner heads prevail (on all sides). If you were an Arab, I would have typed the same thing.
I found you because my Google "alert" sends me anything about Jimmy Carter. Hence our little chat. I'll be signing off now - probably won't be back - unless you write another piece on my hero....Carter - a man who dares challenge the status quo.
I wish you and yours well.
Bye.
"anonymous:" Talking about "peace" does not help when the other side responds by shooting at you. You need to first stop the murderers before you can put away your weapons. So far, it has been the Israelis who have acted in the way that you want, while it is the Arabs who have been responding by trying to murder them.
When the Arabs stop and listen to you, we might have something to talk about.
Jimmy Carter's mantra has always been, "You be nice to them, they be nice to us".
Oh, yeah, like they love us and understand us, and they hate us only because we are not nice!
Carter, please SHUT UP!!!
Well said. Here's how Begin dealt with Carter: (From:http://zalmi.blogspot.com/2005/07/worlds-jew.html)
At the height of a particularly heated and frustrating discussion with the Israeli Cabinet, Carter presented the American version of a final text. After reading it, Begin said calmly and simply: "We will not sign this document." All eyes turned to Carter who, white with rage, responded: "You will have to sign." Whereupon Mr Begin answered: "Sir, I will not have to sign any document to which I do not agree. I take exception to this statement of yours."
After a silence of a few seconds that seemed an eternity to everyone in the room, Carter said in a low voice: "You are right, Mr. Prime Minister. You are right and I apologize."
Well said,Zalmi..but there's more to the story.
When Carter angrily pressed Begin to sign the American text to Begin,
Begin explained to him that his responsibilities to the Israeli people not only included the Jews of present day Israel but the memory of the murdered six million Jews of the Holocaust..which included members of Begin's own family.
He told Carter that any agreements he signed that involved Israel's future also involved the knowledge that Israel was the refuge of the Jewish people, and the keeping of faith with the souls of those who died.
That's when Mr. Peanut apologized...must have been guilt.
Carter also wrote:
"...Although President Bill Clinton made strong efforts to promote peace, a massive increase of settlers occurred during his administration, to 225,000, mostly while Ehud Barak was prime minister. Their best official offer to the Palestinians was to withdraw 20 per cent of them, leaving 180,000 in 209 settlements, covering about 5 per cent of the occupied land.
The 5 per cent figure is grossly misleading, with surrounding areas taken or earmarked for expansion, roadways joining settlements with each other and to Jerusalem, and wide arterial swaths providing water, sewage, electricity and communications. This intricate honeycomb divides the entire West Bank into multiple fragments, often uninhabitable or even unreachable..."
and
"...Casualties have increased during the past few years as the occupying forces imposed tighter controls. From September 2000 until March 2006, 3,982 Palestinians and 1,084 Israelis were killed in the conflict, and this includes many children: 708 Palestinians and 123 Israelis..."
and
"...we need not give up hope for permanent peace for Israelis and freedom and justice for Palestinians if three basic premises are honoured: 1. Israel's right to exist — and to live in peace — must be recognised and accepted by Palestinians and all other neighbours; 2. The killing of innocent people by suicide bombs or other acts of violence cannot be condoned..."
For those who are too lazy to go to the source and rely on blogs such as this one.
Dear Anonymous..
For one thing, I supplied a direct link to Carter's nonsense in my article. Quit yer bitching.
For another, you are either under a misapprehension or simply lying..let's assume the former.
I'm not sure I should bother, but....
1) Clinton did NOTHING to promote Middle East peace, and bears a substantial amount of responsibility for the current situation by armtwisting the Israelis into enfranchising Arafat and bringing him in from Tunis with his terrorist cronies to mount a takeover of the 'Palestinians' and create a terrorist enclave right next door to Israel.
It's a matter of record that Arafat and the `Palestinians' never fulfilled a single condition of Oslo, the provisio by which they were given `title' to this real estate by Israel.
2)You seem to be under a misapprehension that so-called `settlers' have no rights to live wherever they choose in peace simply because they're Jews. The problem, Bubba, is that the Arabs refuse to live in peace and equality with the Jews, not the reverse.
As for the problems of access roads and infrastructure, there is absolutely no reason these can't be provided by the Israeli government to the Jews who live in Judea and Samaria...just because the `Palestinians' refuse to do the same for their people.
Perhaps if the `Palestinians'gave up their murderous ways, infrastructure could be shared more effectively.
3) Casualties..that's Israel's fault? Who was it that unleashed the violence again?
Your implication is the tired old `cycle of violence' crap. Israel has NEVER targeted civilians. The `Palestinians' ALWAYS have.
BTW, one thing the IDF does, when it chooses, is kill Arabs very very well. If the IDF was going for a max bodycount like your Pal buddies, rest assured that this war would have been over long ago and the Pal dead would number in the tens of thousands...kinda like when King Hussein sicced the Arab legion on the `Palestinians' in 1970.
4) So, "Israel's right to exist — and to live in peace — must be recognised and accepted by Palestinians and all other neighbours; 2. The killing of innocent people by suicide bombs or other acts of violence cannot be condoned..."
Big deal.
What about earlier in the piece where Peanut man blames the evil Jews for the conflict and says that the chief reason for all those nasty homicide bombers is Israel's `colonization' of `Palestine'?
Doesn't sound like he cares too much about condemning homicide bombers or Israel's right to exist to me...more like he threw in a couple of platitudes as cover for his Jew hatred.
Like I said in the article, this is just Carter's way of blaming the victim. And it's despicable.
Oh. One more thing.
Israel stays. Deal with it.
Calling Carter a shmendrick is too nice, he's a first class putz and that's also too nice.
dear sir
i was thrilled to read your blog.
finally, words well written.
I felt that the truth about the situation in Israel is guarded well.
its true that peace should be seeked in our region, but even truer that the one who comes to hit you, you must hit him first.
you are right.
Israel stays.
Todah Rabah Ema Yisraeli and welcome to Joshua's Army.
Of course Israel stays..
G-d said so, nu?
B'Shalom,
Rob
To the 'Anonymous' person who says,
"You have every right to be furious at the wrongs committed against the Jews. But you serve no one by applying your paranoia. This conflict is beyond anyone suggesting right or wrong - it's just insanely out of control."
Your comments do not consist of what most people would call 'an argument.'
The author of this blog has laid down facts. You do not refute the facts. You just ignore them. Instead, you attack the foundation of his argument with no rebuttal of your own.
The fact is: Israel's Islamic neighbors don't want peaceful life with Israel. They want Israel gone.
Try negotiating peacefully with that. Joshuapundit's arguments are air tight. Nothing Israel does or will do besides kill itself will bring peace.
Not. Going. To Happen.
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