Must read: Jimmy Carter speaks up in an op-ed today in the Washington Post

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100923.html

Excerpt from the op-ed; well worth reading in its entirety...

Stop the Band-Aid Treatment
We Need Policies for a Real, Lasting Middle East Peace

By Jimmy Carter

Tuesday, August 1, 2006; Page A17

It is inarguable that Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks on its citizens, but it is inhumane and counterproductive to punish civilian populations in the illogical hope that somehow they will blame Hamas and Hezbollah for provoking the devastating response. The result instead has been that broad Arab and worldwide support has been rallied for these groups, while condemnation of both Israel and the United States has intensified.

Israel belatedly announced, but did not carry out, a two-day cessation in bombing Lebanon, responding to the global condemnation of an air attack on the Lebanese village of Qana, where 57 civilians were killed this past weekend and where 106 died from the same cause 10 years ago. As before there were expressions of "deep regret," a promise of "immediate investigation" and the explanation that dropped leaflets had warned families in the region to leave their homes. The urgent need in Lebanon is that Israeli attacks stop, the nation's regular military forces control the southern region, Hezbollah cease as a separate fighting force, and future attacks against Israel be prevented. Israel should withdraw from all Lebanese territory, including Shebaa Farms, and release the Lebanese prisoners. Yet yesterday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected a cease-fire.

These are ambitious hopes, but even if the U.N. Security Council adopts and implements a resolution that would lead to such an eventual solution, it will provide just another band-aid and temporary relief. Tragically, the current conflict is part of the inevitably repetitive cycle of violence that results from the absence of a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, exacerbated by the almost unprecedented six-year absence of any real effort to achieve such a goal.

Leaders on both sides ignore strong majorities that crave peace, allowing extremist-led violence to preempt all opportunities for building a political consensus. Traumatized Israelis cling to the false hope that their lives will be made safer by incremental unilateral withdrawals from occupied areas, while Palestinians see their remnant territories reduced to little more than human dumping grounds surrounded by a provocative "security barrier" that embarrasses Israel's friends and that fails to bring safety or stability.

The general parameters of a long-term, two-state agreement are well known. There will be no substantive and permanent peace for any peoples in this troubled region as long as Israel is violating key U.N. resolutions, official American policy and the international "road map" for peace by occupying Arab lands and oppressing the Palestinians. Except for mutually agreeable negotiated modifications, Israel's official pre-1967 borders must be honored. As were all previous administrations since the founding of Israel, U.S. government leaders must be in the forefront of achieving this long-delayed goal.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. In his own words, he is a great ex-president and a fine man.

It is so nice to be able to say we have such fine humans in our country.

[mtnester]

2. He would be a better choice to send to negotiate peace than

Condi, who is an ineffective, inept, catastrophe of a diplomat.

[jwirr]

18. As much as I dislike sleezy rice, she is only the messenger.

If the *ss administration had any kind of reasonable ME foreign policy she might at least have something to talk about. I am so proud of Jimmy Carter.

[AntiFascist]

41. I wonder how many deaths occured while Condi was busy....

practicing for her piano performance?

This is exactly what neocons want: to have Israel support an irrational response to terrorism, while stirring up terrorists even more, and recruiting more terrorists, possibly leading to an even bigger conflict.

[bananarepublican]

57. She probably also went shoe shopping in Tel Aviv! n/t

[alittlelark]

59. She prefers NY,

But I guess that was funny (?).

[bvar22]

28. Never send a psychopath (Condi)..

...to negotiate Peace.

[klook]

3. Such a clear-eyed, reasonable analysis

I hope Carter has a chance to become an adviser to a future Democratic administration.

*click* - and off this goes to the Greatest page.

[WhoWantsToBeOccupied]

40. I said this 20+ years ago as a teen! When will humanity learn?

Jimmy Carter: "Direct engagement with the Palestine Liberation Organization or the Palestinian Authority and the government in Damascus will be necessary if secure negotiated settlements are to be achieved."

This is so damn obvious that I had a letter to the editor published in US News & World Report in the mid 1980s (?) disagreeing with Fouad Ajami and saying peace required negotiating with Arafat and the PLO since that was who the rock-throwing Palestinians chose to represent them.

Twenty years later, the Israeli government and US president feel peace can be achieved by subjugating and killing civilians.

Are we doomed? Are we as a species this damn stupid?

[malaise]

4. I love you Jimmy Carter

You have way more integrity, decency and humanity than all democrats who followed you. More importantly, you actually most of the issues. The only problem here is that current official American policy is to kill all who challenge Neocons imperial policy.
<snip>
The general parameters of a long-term, two-state agreement are well known. There will be no substantive and permanent peace for any peoples in this troubled region as long as Israel is violating key U.N. resolutions, official American policy and the international "road map" for peace by occupying Arab lands and oppressing the Palestinians. Except for mutually agreeable negotiated modifications, Israel's official pre-1967 borders must be honored. As were all previous administrations since the founding of Israel, U.S. government leaders must be in the forefront of achieving this long-delayed goal.

A major impediment to progress is Washington's strange policy that dialogue on controversial issues will be extended only as a reward for subservient behavior and will be withheld from those who reject U.S. assertions.
----------

5. Israel has chosen to have hawkish leaders

And it is the wrong path.

[H2O Man]

6. Nominated.

Jimmy Carter provides a fine example of the rational thinking that is required to begin the peace process.

[Jim__]

7. A reasoned response from an American statesman.

Do we have any American statesmen currently in office?

[Armstead]

8. His first paragraph says it all.

[EFerrari]

9. Thanks for posting this. I've been hoping he'd write on this. n/t

[leftchick]

10. extremest led violence on BOTH SIDES!

disproportionately so from the Israeli side. :grr:

[BooScout]

11. I wish to god....

..that Bush & Blair had 1/10th the common sense that President Carter has.

[John Q. Citizen]

12. Carter has stated the obvious. Yet he is almost the only person of

any moral authority to do so in this country.

I'm glad it was said, even if it is widely ignored.

[flpoljunkie]

13. You make a very good point. Americans need to ask themselves why this is.

[theHandpuppet]

64. And we need to ask our elected Democratic leaders...

.... many of whom will be expecting our votes in November, why the hell they are sounding more like CondiLiar than Jimmy Carter.

[malaise]

24. A Profound observation n/t

[blonndee]

14. Thanks for this. Blessed are the peacemakers. nt

[marions ghost]

15. thanks

for posting this statement by Jimmy Carter. This is what a responsible leader and statesman looks like.
His voice is needed now.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. the path to peace in the middle east is generally easy to envision

if you arent running for political office or are a bigot...or both

[Kolesar]

17. You don't see Old Bush doing anything like this

The mean old republican f-head just doesn't give a damn about the world. As long as his oil money and his weapons money keeps flowing, he is a happy man. Well, as happy as an age spotted, hateful old f--k can be.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Carter should start shuttle diplomacy

[flyarm]

20. thank you Mr. President!

i love this man..he is truely a National Treasure!

fly

[SutaUvaca]

21. Ignoring strong majorities who crave peace!

What an awful situation for citizens of Lebanon, Israel, and the US, when the vast majority crave peace, but whose longings are cast aside by the violent and profit mongering leaders.

It is good to see President Carter weighing in on the issue. No doubt, if he volunteered as the US peace envoy, his peace longing, as well as his astute and experienced voice, would also be ignored.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi SutaUvaca!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[SutaUvaca]

39. Thanks NewYawker99

It's nice to be in a sane environment. I've been needing the good therapy. :-)

[Tsiyu]

22. One of my heroes making some sense

I love you, Mr. Carter. You are one of the few humans I have seen actually living your faith.

:loveya:

And thanks to flpoljunkie for posting this :hi:

[Time for change]

23. "exacerbated by the almost unprecedented six-year absence of any real

effort to achieve such a goal."

Isn't that unfair of Jimmy to say that?

Doesn't he know that it's "hard work" to deal with this issue?

[Up2Late]

26. Thank You Jimmy! You said it much better than I could have.

Nice to have someone express a clear, honest view.

[L0oniX]

27. Another blunder by the chimp and chief

"the absence of a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East, exacerbated by the almost unprecedented six-year absence of any real effort to achieve such a goal."

So the chimp does nothing to help again! Shame on Americans for voting this ass carrot into office!:shrug:

[rrasile]

30. President James Carter

It always strikes me funny how a president that did a wonderful job so many years ago can still be attacked by the media. Do you believe that anyone from the Bush people will ever get a peace prize?
Carter should be remembered for his stand on energy conservation and people should just think where we'd be today if his milage plan for autos had been followed instead of destroyed by the car manufactures.
When energy efficacity was attacked by the industries we had the first major change to a gas fired furnace from the day it was invented. Almost every product that used energy was made more efficient. A gas furnace went from 40 % to 95 in the better products.
If we followed his plan, oil would never passed four dollars a gallon and we’d be heating and cooling our homes for a few bucks a day and the oil cartel countries would have killed each other off by now.

[L0oniX]

52. dude ...chimp = Bush

I don't know why you responded to my post. I love
Carter. For future reference please note that George W. Bush is referred to as the Chimp. Welcome to DU. :shrug:

[spanone]

29. Wow, I forget that Presidents used to be articulate. K & R

[Strelnikov_]

31. Guess That Is Why He Was Addressed In The Reich Talking Points

of the day.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1787162

Mr. Gillerman, Ambassador from Israel, Just Smeared Carter

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1786269#1786458

Danielle Pletka will be on Washington Journal (AEI Reich Propagandist) bashing Carter.

[mod mom]

32. Honored to be # 40. Watch for the right to discredit his wise words.

[oberliner]

33. Rational, well-reasoned editorial

Criticizing Israel without resorting to anti-semitic, I mean anti-Zionist polemics or hysterical hyperbole.

Exactly what I would expect from a wise and reasonable person like former President Carter.

[AllyCat]

34. I love how he has actual numbers.

Figured he would resort to those pesky facts that our media whores and the * administration like to ignore.

The media makes it sound like this all started because Hezbollah kidnapped 2 soldiers. But having 10,000 of your people in Israeli jails, including hundreds of women and children would certainly explain why they did what they did. I'd fight that hard for my child too. Who wouldn't??

Thanks President Carter for putting this in perspective and for being the only former President to earn your pension, even if you do refuse it.

Edit: and with that comes a change of avatar!

[flpoljunkie]

36. I very much like your idea of changing your avatar to Jimmy Carter.

We are all Jimmy Carter today!

[JackNewtown]

44. Same here nt

[flpoljunkie]

69. I like your signature line, too. Thanks for your post.

[Strawman]

35. There's an Electric Six song about Jimmy Carter

I'm not certain about the exact intended meaning but to me it represents how incredibly sad it is that someone as honest, decent, intelligent and good could be so profoundly rejected in our stupid political culture that glorifies lies, superficiality and mediocrity. I recommend giving it a listen if you have Itunes.

As for the piece itself, what an excellent article by an intelligent and capable humanitarian unlike the petty, rotten, dishonest buffoon that currently occupies the Oval Office.

[Scurrilous]

37. K & R

:thumbsup:

[ShortnFiery]

38. Bless Jimmy Carter! This is an excellent commentary. eom

[me b zola]

42. Amen, President Carter

The people of the Middle East deserve peace and justice, and we in the international community owe them our strong leadership and support.

:thumbsup:

[stepnw1f]

43. Recommended (nt)

[JackNewtown]

45. Carter is a great man...

...too bad we apparently have no Carters in the Senate or contending for the presidency in 2008. :cry:

[flaminbats]

54. don't give up..politics will be different in two years

http://carterfornevada.com/

[LSK]

46. someone who gets it

How refreshing.

[ms liberty]

47. Excellent - insightful, honest, measured...

wouldn't it be nice to have a real president again? One who actually acted like he was the leader of the free world, instead of say, like the guy in charge of planning a frat kegger?

[ourbluenation]

48. god bless this man - and I don't even believe in god!

[Vinnie From Indy]

49. I have met Jimmy and his lovely wife Rosalyn

They are as nice in person as they appear. America was lucky to have him as President. He is, by far, a great role model as an ex-President!!!

[GAPeace]

50. Jimmy Carter is the best ex-President we've ever had and an amazing human

He is a great man. A great man. I hope to meet him when he visits my university in the winter.

[mike_c]

51. thank you, President Carter....

One of the last great statesmen in America.

[DemonFighterLives]

53. Carter Rocks

Rather amazing that no other dems. in the country can see this.
They don't make democrats like that anymore.
:dem:

[Lifelong Protester]

55. Jimmy Carter, the first president I voted for

from humble beginnings to a statesman of world stature.

Bush: from privileged background and not fit to shine this man's shoes

[hopeisaplace]

56. what a great man, I truly respect him. n/t

[autorank]

58. I have a question...

The plan for the UN calls for the use of an international force in Lebanon that would seek to establish a cessation of hostilities and disarm Hezbollah. Now why wouldn't Israel jump at that, say put up or shut up? Is Israel on the verge of nailing Hezbollah (doesn't seem so )?

Any answers would be appreciated. I'm truly curious about this. There are even European countries volunteering troops. :wtf:


And I fully endorse Carter's efforts here. He has real credibility in this area and his statement makes perfect sense. I have no question as to why his expertice is not utilized to full effect; the answer is * is an idiot!

[Hippo_Tron]

60. I would give anything to put this man back in the White House

I can't think of anyone alive who is more qualified to deal with these problems than he is.

[BrotherBuzz]

61. I'd settle for giving him the corner office in the State Department

;)

[Broken_Hero]

62. great post...good find...nt

[killbotfactory]

63. ...

why is this man so demonized?

because he told people to wear sweaters and turn down the heater a bit to save energy?

[theHandpuppet]

65. No, because he is exposing the ravening wolves

SOURCE: THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
DATE WRITTEN: 63 AD
The Beatitudes
1And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you....

Go the Second Mile
38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away...

Love Your Enemies
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect...

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them."

The fruits of war or the fruits of peace -- it is obvious to me who is following in Christ's path and I'm not even a Christian. Since when did so many Christians not only stray from Jesus' teachings but fail to even recognize them? Bush, the warmonger who turns his back on the poor and downtrodden, touts himself as a "Christian president"? Well, Jesus called out men like Bush for what they truly are: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." IOW, Bush talks the talk, but it is James Earl Carter who walks the walk.

[B Calm]

66. If Bush was serious about restoring peace, he would have left Rice

here and sent ex presidents Carter and Clinton.

[Sensitivity]

67. One Just Man among our political leadership. What a crying shame

cowardice and fraud prevail.

[aaronbees]

68. What an eloquent voice....

Now that's some truth to power insight. Bless you, President Carter.

[sistersofmercy]

70. A Voice of Reason n/t

[mtnsnake]

71. If Bush truly wanted a cease fire, he wouldn't send war monger Condi Rice

to get the job done.

Instead he'd send Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton. Hell, even Muhammad Ali would have a much better chance of getting the job done than that lying Condi Rice would.