Jimmy Carter On Gaza: Still Clueless After All These Years

Former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, is probably the only president who has been so overtly pro-Palestinian.  He proved that quite clearly in his 2007 book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid".  Of course, one could easily conclude that, if Carter is pro-Palestinian, he must be anti-Israeli; especially if you look at how his book is written and how it negatively portrays the Israelis; and, at the same time, ignores the past hostile actions of the PLO and the Palestine National Authority.  So, it is no wonder that Mr. Carter saw fit to write an op-ed that lopsidedly slams Israel for the current Gaza crisis.

First of all, he lays the heaviest blame for the Gaza conflict on Israel.  His ridiculous argument is that Israel has suffered less causalities.  Of course, Carter completely ignores the fact that Israel's retaliatory actions are in response to more than 2000 rocket attacks; aimed carelessly into civilian populated areas.  And, if Israel didn't have such an extensive alert and shelter system and a highly accurate anti-missile system, they too would have suffered heavy casualties.  Further, Carter also seems to ignore the fact that Hamas has intentionally positioned rocket launchers in heavily populated areas; knowing full well that there would be high causalities and heavy damage covering entire neighborhoods.  Now, normally, such a one-sided and sustained loss of life and property would be a reason for Hamas to stand down and stop its rocket attacks, but, high casualties and property loss is exactly what they want.  Hamas wants empty-headed people, like Carter, to side with them against Israel in the court of public opinion.

Then, the former President argues that the Gaza strip barricade should be torn down; allowing the free-flow of Palestinians and goods across the Gaza/Israel border.  Again, ridiculous.  The only reason  the barricade even exists is because of the terror attacks the PLO had previously conducted against Israel by coming across that border.  Now, with Hamas, as active as it is, there is even more reason to control it.  If Israel did open the border, it would open itself up to the free flow of terrorism.  Carter obviously can't see that or, perhaps, wants actually wants increase terrorist attacks against Israel.

In the final key element of his op-ed, he says that Israel should accept Hamas as a legitimate political element of the Palestine people.  Well, maybe Carter should read the 1988 Covenant (Charter) of Hamas.

First, there is this statement:

"'Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.'"  

And, then there's this:

"'[Peace] initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the infidels as arbitrators in the lands of Islam. There is no solution for the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility.' (Article 13)".  

So, in essence, if Israel was to accept Hamas, as Carter would suggest, it would be signing on to its own obliteration and accepting that Hamas will never sign any peace agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis. 

The bottom line is that Carter is an anti-Semite.  His blind-eyed op-ed is just more proof of this.

References:

Washington Post:  Jimmy Carter, Palestinian Sympathizer: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/worldopinionroundup/2006/12/jimmy_carter_palestinian_sympa.html

U.K. Daily Mail: 'This is a humanitarian catastrophe': Former president Jimmy Carter says 'there is no humane or legal justification' for the way Israel has attacked Gaza: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2717285/Former-president-Jimmy-Carter-says-no-humane-legal-justification-way-Israel-attacked-Gaza.html

1988 The Covenant of Hamas: Key Points: http://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm

A Foreign Policy In Tatters

Amid all the talk about health care over the last year, nobody seems to be worried that Obama has been allowing the Middle East situation to get totally out of hand. Iran has gained another year in its drive to get nuclear weapons. Korea is still on its path to nukes and a long range deliver via missiles. The Israel/Palestine situation is deteriorating quickly as Obama sides with Hamas and continues to publicly admonish Israel over settlements. Chavez is threatening his neighbors; especially Columbia. The Mexican border situation has exploded into bloody violence with Americans dying at the hands of the drug cartel. Russia is in bed with Iran and that relationship has only gotten stronger since the President took office.

So, where is all this respect and peace that Obama promised before taking office? I guess they went to that same black hole that jobs, the economy, and improving the deficit went.

For Once, I Agree With Joe Biden (Somewhat)

In April, I wrote a piece titled: "Are We Ready for the Mistakes of JFK, Again?" (See Full Story). As I explained in that essay, it was Kennedy's own perceived weakness that caused Russia to move missiles into Cuba. It absolutely wasn't out of any perceived strength in his character. I went on to compare Obama to Kennedy and how his policies, especially talks without preconditions, can be easily perceived as weakness. I hinted that Obama could be tested by the likes of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. I think you could easily add to that list the likes of Al Qaeda/Taliban, Hamas/Hezbollah, Syria, and, especially, North Korea.

Now, Joe Biden has predicted the same (See Full Story). Of what Joe said, the following is the most important statement: "Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." Of his statement, "a generated crisis, to test the mettle" seems to say it all. It will be "generated" because of what all those foreign entities. as noted above, see as weakness in Barack Obama. It will assuredly be done "to test his mettle" and to see how much they can get away with, with this "new kid" (and, I mean new 'kid') on the block. If Barack stumbles in his response, expect more and more of the same.

One can only ask what we are getting ourselves into with Barack Obama as President. One could, if not a biased Democrat and a believer in Joe Biden's words, say that a vote for Obama is to vote for an international crisis. Not once in Biden's thesis and prognostication did he mention that the same would happen if McCain were elected. In essence, Joe is saying that an international crisis will be "generated" because of Barack Obama becoming President.

Let's not forget that we have a new axis of evil to deal with at this time in history. That "axis" is already made up of Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela. All these countries' leaders have been busy working with each other. Chavez, specifically, has traveled to Russia, North Korea, and Iran. They have been exchanging information on nukes and talking down the United States. Russia, Iran, and North Korea have flexed their muscles by conducting missiles tests as if to say "watch out" and to imply that they are coming after us. And, as for Venezuela not having missiles to test, I don't think it is out of the realm to assume that Venezuela becomes the new Cuban missile crisis by agreeing to allow Russian nuclear missiles on their soil. That is one possible test for Obama to confront.

Joe seems to think that Obama will do well in this crisis; although, with "tough, and possibly unpopular, decisions..." This is were I differ from Joe. Obama has a history of avoiding tough decisions. In the Illinois Senate, he voted "present" 130 times to avoid taking a specific stand and to avoid voting either "yea" or "nay" on tough issues. When that call comes in at three in the morning, are we going to get a tough answer or, as usual, are we simply going to get a "present" declaration from a President Obama? My guess is that the "axis of evil" is betting on the latter response and that's why they all think that he should be "tested" when he takes office. Just like Joe said in his prophecy, I, too, can say: "Mark my words!"

One final comment. We may actually see something happen shortly before Obama takes office. This would be a time where Bush would be in a very limited position to define a response and at a time where Obama has barely assembled an Administration that could respond to any international crisis. Late December and early January could be a very tenuous time for this country.

Love

Well, it's Spring. And, as they say in France:"love is in the air!" So, it is no wonder that Jimmy Carter picked this time of the year to spend some quality time with the terrorist group, Hamas. His meeting with these "killers" was all smiles. And, God knows you can drive a 747 through Jimmy Carter's sh*t-eating grin! He even gave a big hug. (See Full Story)

Isn't love blind?