The definition of useful idiot is … Update: Video added, and Hamas punks him twice
posted at 8:05 am on April 21, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Jimmy Carter may have aged considerably since his years at the helm of foreign policy, but that doesn’t excuse his latest debacle; he was just as clueless 30 years ago as he proved himself to be this week. Carter had everything but Neville Chamberlain’s umbrella as he returned with a supposed agreement by Hamas to recognize Israel and accede to a peace deal negotiated by Mahmoud Abbas and approved by referendum. However, Hamas immediately pulled the rug out from under Carter, exposing his idiocy:
Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday that Hamas — the Islamic militant group that has called for the destruction of Israel — is prepared to accept the right of the Jewish state to “live as a neighbor next door in peace.”
Carter relayed the message in a speech in Jerusalem after meeting last week with top Hamas leaders in Syria. It capped a nine-day visit to the Mideast aimed at breaking the deadlock between Israel and Hamas militants who rule the Gaza Strip.
Hamas leaders “said that they would accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders” and they would “accept the right of Israel to live as a neighbor next door in peace,” Carter said.
So far, so good — right? Carter has brought us Peace In Our Time, and singlehandedly resolved the most tiresome conflict in the world. Or did he? Emphasis mine:
Carter said Hamas promised it wouldn’t undermine Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts to reach a peace deal with Israel, as long as the Palestinian people approved it in a referendum. In such a scenario, he said Hamas would not oppose a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri in Gaza said Hamas’ readiness to put a peace deal to a referendum “does not mean that Hamas is going to accept the result of the referendum.”
Uh-huh. So Carter’s entire effort was predicated on getting Hamas to agree to abide by a referendum, and Hamas — surprise! — has already reneged. Hamas also had a much different idea of a referendum than Carter. They didn’t want a referendum of the 4 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, but one that included the 9 million Palestinians living around the world. And even if that could be accomplished and the deal passed, Hamas still won’t commit to honoring its resolution.
Carter says the conflict remains prolonged because the US will not meet with Hamas. Carter seems to have forgotten that we have a policy of refusing to negotiate with terrorists, and with groups that demand the destruction of our allies. His meeting with Khaled Mashaal certainly proved productive; Carter got to promote the agreement they reached for, well, hours before Mashaal showed why negotiating with terrorists is such a stupid and self-destructive idea.
At least Neville Chamberlain didn’t try to give Czechoslovakia away while the Nazis rained artillery on it. He had that much of an excuse for Munich. Carter has managed to surpass Chamberlain in fecklessness.
Update: Hamas gave Carter a second humiliation, denying that they ever agreed to recognize Israel regardless of the referendum:
Hamas is ready to accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders but “it will not recognise Israel,” the Islamist movement’s exiled chief Khaled Meshaal told a news conference Monday.
“We accept a Palestinian state within the June 4 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital — a sovereign state without settlements — as well as the right of Palestinian refugees to return, but without recognition of Israel,” he said.
Got that? Carter met with them twice and managed to move them not a single iota from their long-standing position. In case that isn’t enough cluelessness for you, here’s video of Carter defending this useless trip and denying that his visit legitimized Hamas:
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Hamas is a rouge terrorist organization. It has no standing or legitimacy as a sovereign power and any agreement or deal it offers is not worth the paper upon which it’s written. Only Jimmy Carter would attempt to make a deal with these murderous thugs.
rplat on April 21, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Some have argued that, as a former U.S. President, Carter is entitled to a high level of respect. I’m sorry but that just isn’t possible in this situation. The man has violated every foreign policy principle that one can think of with predictable results. Sorry, Jimmy, you need to turn in your passport, your cell phone and the keys to your library before you hurt someone because you clearly are a danger to yourself and to others.
HotJavaJack on April 21, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Maybe the whole reason for this trip is that Carter had to use up his air miles before they expired? This is the only rational explanation of his trip.
cannonball on April 21, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Jimmy Carter has a long history as a vengeful man. When he was running for Governor of Georgia in the Democratic primary against Ivan Allen, one of the great mayors of the 20th century, Carter ran one of the dirtiest campaigns in modern political history. Ivan Allen had been mayor of Atlanta. He did an extraordinary job, bringing African-Americans into the political life of the city and treating African-Americans with the decency and respect that they deserved. When Mayor Allen ran for governor against Carter, Carter distributed photos of Mayor Allen in the Atlanta Hawks lockeroom, celebrating a Hawks victory. The sleaxy trick of Carter was to portray Mayor Allen as a guy who hangs out with shirtless Black men while he (Carter) was a good ole boy. Carter must think this sleazy campaign of his is all forgotten. Not to me. Harpers Magazine ran a long article about Carter’s meanness and sleaziness way back in 1976 but nobody wanted to read it and learn anything. The article was incredibly prescient about what type of person Carter was and still is and what he would be like as president. Then and now, Carter has been an awful person.
Larraby on April 21, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Can we put Jimmy in the old age home now? His senility may be a danger to himself and clearly is to others.
rbj on April 21, 2008 at 3:11 PM
We should organize a game of checkers with Jimah and Bobby Byrd. That will keep them busy for a couple of years.
ronsfi on April 21, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Larraby
Is this it?
I’m almost tempted to subscribe just to read it.
If you google “Jimmy Carter’s pathetic lies,” (the name of the article) you will find a number of articles referencing this article. Your are, aparently, not the only one who remembers it.
What I find ironic is that Jimmy always said that his pacifism was motivated by his faith. If his faith told him not to fight, why didn’t it also tell him not to lie?
29Victor on April 21, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Was this reporter even born when Carter was President?
RobCon on April 21, 2008 at 4:47 PM
As a former president he
iswas automatically entitled to high respect. However,he spent that entire entitlment years ago.allrsn on April 21, 2008 at 5:03 PM
I had no problem with him going over there….then I learned he was coming back.
Nonsequitur on April 21, 2008 at 5:15 PM
A FORMER President only has one job: to quietly give up his power.
Don’t laugh. That might sound easy, but it’s not. That one tiny little act is the only basis upon which a democratic form of government can possibly survive.
And Jimmy Carter is trying to destroy that.
logis on April 21, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Would it be wrong to make a joke about an age-related mental disorder? Most likely, but I feel close to saying it.
ThePrez on April 21, 2008 at 5:47 PM
I don’t know if it would be right or wrong, but I don’t think it would be applicable here. Carter has been clueless at least since the ’70s. That’s what’s so darn sad, he can’t blame this on age. This is who he is.
29Victor on April 21, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Why are democrats and street liberals so afraid to say they support one candidate or the other. They seem genuinely embarrassed to utter either name.
malkinmania on April 21, 2008 at 6:18 PM
One would think this numbskull would figure out that holding hands and singing Kumbayah with barbaric terrorists will get you more terrorism. Get this islamofacist appologist a Mecca watch. Carter is less than useless, he is plain destructive.
Zorg on April 21, 2008 at 6:20 PM
“and denying that his visit legitimized Hamas”
Just like he denied that the Camp David accords validated terrorism as a means to an end and elevated a terrorist (Arafat) to the status equal to a head of state. Carter is a moron of the worst sort. He is one of those incompetents who believe they are awesome at what they do.
Mr. Carter, for the sake of the children, please stay home and don’t go overseas anymore.
crosspatch on April 21, 2008 at 6:22 PM
I miss Billy Carter, he only pissed on the tarmac, not the whole civilized world.
gbear on April 21, 2008 at 7:21 PM
That was that BILLY BEER he was pissin’!!
CynicalOptimist on April 21, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Unfortunately, whether Mr Carter got “Punked” or not, this is a big win for Hamas. The “offer” is nothing more than that to which Israel already agreed in Security Council Resolution 242.
It’s a clever move on Hamas’ part: they have finessed it so that they don’t have to recognize Israel as a nation, but used an Arab word, “Hudna,” which implies recognition. Thus, they can tell the irredentists that they never recognized Israel, while making the diplomatic argument that they have done so de facto, if not de jure.
Let’s be honest here: virtually every proposed settlement of the problem is predicated on Israel returning to the 1967 borders — or something very close to it — and the Palestinians offering peace and security. In having to go through Hamas’ words carefully to find the reservations and “gotchas,” you have already taken a step that most of the Usual Suspects will say is unimportant, if not actually harmful. Like the Obamaniacs, it’s “hope” which is important, far moreso than the details.
Dana on April 21, 2008 at 7:56 PM
What a DIP. . .SH*T.
Troy Rasmussen on April 21, 2008 at 9:19 PM
I’m tempted to say that any opportunity to witness the further humiliation and marginalization of this shambling mass of misspent protoplasm is all to the good.
Alas, however, this latest folly empowers a blood-soaked band of brigands whose isolation/strangulation has been an essential and reasonably successful project. As a result, more innocent lives are in greater jeopardy and the credibility of the United States is a notch or two diminished in the eyes of murderers and fanatics worldwide.
In other words, just another day at the office for Jimmy Earl.
Putz.
Noocyte on April 21, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Wow Dana, if We returned to Our 1800 borders what language would you be speaking now?
old trooper on April 21, 2008 at 10:54 PM
“…the people of my home state of Georgia…have all announced their support of Obama.”
Misspoke?
Just words.
jgapinoy on April 22, 2008 at 12:49 AM
Carter, and also Clinton, have broken the tradition of former presidents not attacking sitting presidents. I find what they both are doing is disgusting and I unfortunately can not respect either of those two men. I will forever regret that I voted for each the first time they ran for president; but they didn’t get my vote the second time. The 1799 Logan Act should be used to nail Carter, but no one has ever been convicted under this act. It might be nice to try again with Carter, but no one has the stones to do that.
amr on April 22, 2008 at 5:26 AM
It is impossible for Carter to legitimize Hamas. Having to meet with Carter, as a representation of the best they can do, makes them look like marginalized cranks.
We should thank Carter for diminishing Hamas’ stature.
Lonetown on April 22, 2008 at 7:42 AM
We should keep Carter around just for this type of thing…”want to meet with a head of state?”, we’ll send Carter to all the loser countries.
That way they think we want to dialog, and we get him out of the country. We appease everyone. Send him to China, Russia, every middle east, most of the African and middle east, we can keep him busy for years…
right2bright on April 22, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Jimmuh Carter is the strongest existing proof against evolution.
fossten on April 22, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I’m sure you meant rogue terrorist organization, but I think the that the idea of Hamas as a rouge terrorist organization has possiblilities. I mean, it was Fatah that had that reputation, given they were led by the most famous cross-dressing, body-guard snuggling, leader of them all, Yassir Bodyfat, but Hamas could also go rouge, but in a Kmher-Rouge kind of way, unfortunately. Better for the 12 year old boys in the Nablus, but worse for almost everyone else.
Boy, that Jimmuh. He, being from the south, should have heard this saying at least once–”Some people just don’t believe that fat meat’s greasy.”
smellthecoffee on April 22, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Carter, IMO, is not only a very dangerous fool but is almost certainly a liar.
He states his mission was for himself & that of his foundation. If that had really been the case he could have certainly been very discreet not only on the purpose of the trip but on whom he intended to contact. Carter could also have responded to journalists with ‘no comment’ but instead went into all manner of detail. If, upon returning, he thought his visit was of some importance that to could have then communicated privately with various relevant parties but instead the entire trip was conducted like some three-ring-circus.
Carter is an ex-President and accorded certain privileges but conducting foreign policy is not one and for that he should be treated as a private US citizen acting against US interests up-to and possibly in concert with terrorist forces.
Earlg on April 22, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Former GOP presidents are dignified elder statesmen.
Bill & Jimmy:
–go to other nations & trash the USA
–undermine our foreign policy
–say outrageous things to get attention & sell books
–pretend to be dignified elder statesmen
jgapinoy on April 22, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Bet Carter took along a whole case of Evian bottled water.
(Evian is Naive spelled backwards)
landlines on April 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM
What you recommend would have been the standard procedure for the winner of any past war.
Al in St. Lou on April 22, 2008 at 2:51 PM
The female Fox reporter over in Israel seems to be some sort of apologist. She never seems to directly answer the US commentators questions but responds with a Palestinian friendly statememt.
davod on April 22, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Victor, Excellent research in finding the Harper’s Article about Carter from 1976. I didn’t think it was possible that the article was still available. Harpers’ had Carter pegged way back then for the type of nasty person that he was and still is. The article should be mandatory reading in every university.
Larraby on April 23, 2008 at 10:38 AM
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