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Jimmy Carter on War & Peace
President of the U.S., 1977-1981
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1980: Planned second Desert Storm, after first one failed
Most of us remember Operation Desert Storm, a hostage-rescue attempt by our military early in 1980 that ended up dead-in-the-desert, got eight Americans killed, and resulted as a major embarrassment for Carter. During negotiations after that, Iran was
demanding of the Carter people that we exchange $150 million in American military equipment that they'd already ordered and paid for, before the Shah was overthrown and the Ayatollah Khomeini took power. Carter said he wouldn't deal with arms merchants,
When Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, before Bush's invasion, former President Jimmy Carter wrote to members of the United Nations Security Council and asked them not to support the use of force against Hussein.
On Nov. 29, 1990, the UN passed a resolution calling on Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait by Jan. 15, 1991, after which UN member states could use all means necessary "to restore peace and security in the area."
Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.495&497-8
, Mar 9, 2010
1990: Urged UN Security Council against use of force in Iraq
When Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, before Bush's invasion, former President Jimmy Carter wrote to members of the United Nations Security Council and asked them not to support the use of force against Hussein.
On Nov. 29, 1990, the UN passed a resolution calling on Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait by Jan. 15, 1991, after which UN member states could use all means necessary "to restore peace and security in the area."
Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.495&497-8
, Sep 16, 2004
Admired the Shah of Iran until his overthrow in 1979
In 1953, Iran was evil, the epitome of evil. Why? Because it had a conservative nationalist elected government that was trying to take control of its own resources, which had been run by the British up until then. So it was the epitome of evil.
The government had to be overthrown by a military coup carried out by the US and Britain. The Shah was reinstated.Then for the next 26 years it was good. The Shah compiled one of the worst human rights records in the world.
President Carter particularly admired the Shah. Just a couple of months before he was overthrown, he said how impressed he was by the Shah's "progressive administration," and so on.
In 1979, Iran became evil again. They pulled out of the imperial system. And since then they have been evil. They haven't been following orders.
Source: Power and Terror, by Noam Chomsky, p.128-129
, Mar 19, 2002
Oversaw Camp David accord: peace between Egypt & Israel
The highlight of the Carter foreign policy came on March 26, 1979, with the signing of a peace treaty by Israeli Premier Menahem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat.
The so-called Camp David accord represented a high point in the Carter presidency, although later negotiations to implement it foundered.
Source: Grolier’s Encyclopedia, “The Presidency”
, Dec 25, 2000
Iranian hostages clouded 1980; made deal for release
Probably the most perplexing problem facing Carter was the seizure in November 1979 of American diplomats and embassy employees in Teheran. [Carter responded with] more than a year of inconclusive negotiations with the Iranian government, plus an
unsuccessful airborne attempt to rescue the hostages. Although many people were dissatisfied with Carter’s handling of the hostage seizure and many blamed his administration for not having protected embassy personnel in the first place, the delicate
problem was muted somewhat as an issue owing to the paucity of reasonable alternative plans, the erratic nature of a succession of Iranian governments, and fears generated by Iranian threats to punish or kill the hostages. Much of the 1980
presidential campaign was played out under the cloud of the hostage problem. The hostages were finally released on Jan. 20, 1981. Their freedom was obtained in exchange for concessions that included the unfreezing of Iranian assets in the United States.
Source: Grolier’s Encyclopedia, “The Presidency”
, Dec 25, 2000
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2013
