Jimmy Carter defends meeting with Hamas

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Former President Jimmy Carter said he feels "quite at ease" about meeting Hamas militants over the objections of Washington because the Palestinian group is essential to a future peace with Israel.

Carter, interviewed Saturday for ABC News' "This Week," airing Sunday, also said he would oppose a U.S. Olympic boycott and hopes all countries will join in the Beijing games.

He spoke from Katmandu, Nepal, where his team of observers from the Carter Center monitored an election that appeared likely to transform rule by royal dynasty into a democracy with former Maoist rebels in a strong position, judging by incomplete returns.

~snip~


"I feel quite at ease in doing this," Carter said. "I think there's no doubt in anyone's mind that, if Israel is ever going to find peace with justice concerning the relationship with their next-door neighbors, the Palestinians, that Hamas will have to be included in the process."

Although he said the meeting would not be a negotiation, he outlined distinct goals.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080413/ap_on_re_us/carter_mideast

[Catch22Dem]

1. I don't like the way the headline is framed

He shouldn't have to "defend" himself at all.

[subsuelo]

3. That's MSM for you

The debate must be framed in certain ways at all times

[SteinbachMB]

2. Why doesn't he just

go to Iran? He can ask Ahmadinawho to increase sending their weapons to Hamas.

[subsuelo]

4. How about decreasing weapons to both sides?

Less means to murder each other's citizens seems the better approach to me.

[bemildred]

5. Just call him a traitor while you are at it.

Are slurs and baseless accusations the best argument you have?

[humbled_opinion]

6. Exactly...

People are so uninformed of the reality of the situation in the ME.

Everyone just mulls about thinking that Israel is good and Palestine is bad...

People are fed spin from the MSM that the Israeli's just want to live in peace in their lands but the big bad terrorists like Hamas just keep on killing them... and instead of dying quietly they retaliate and shoot back....

Wow it is so much more complicated then that... People really should get a clue.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. People are so uninformed of the reality of the situation in the ME.

Including those who claim they are for peace, and still have no fucking clue about the reality of the situation, including attacks on multiple fronts. But, to some, it doesn't matter, because Israel is the embodiment of evil.

[tabasco]

40. Why don't you go to Iraq?

www.goarmy.com

[bjorkfan]

7. Is Hamas pro-choice? Pro-gay rights?

He might want to bring up the plight of Palestinian women and gays.

[jaybeat]

8. And what if they're not? Ignore them and hope they go away?

That ought to work out great...

[bjorkfan]

9. Speak truth to power

[fshrink]

10. Diplomacy needs to be defended?

Or is it daring to disobey the Idiot?

[bemildred]

11. Diplomacy is a huge threat to the "peace process".

There might actually be some sort of actual peace agreement made, and that would just destroy the "peace process".

[fshrink]

12. Yup. Clinton came pretty close back then.

[mdmc]

13. God Bless JIMMY CARTER

[Bake]

41. Careful, don't say too much good about the Big Dog

Certain elements around this place will get their knickers in a wad ...

Bake

[ckramer]

14. Jimmy is a true patriot

Long live Jimmy!

[Xenotime]

21. Exactly. He is the only one who has the balls to open up dialogue with them.

[Tesha]

22. I was especially amused at Condi saying Carter shouldn't do this because...

..."we don't nogotiate with terrorists."

Irony is truly dead.

Tesha

[jasmine621]

15. This is one reason JC won't endorse Obama. He knows it might hurt him.

I admire former Pres Carter because I think he is one of the most decent politicians alive today. He is a staunch Clinton hater , thought, and I disagree with him on this. The entire Carter family is for Obama so you know Jimmy's heart is with him. Still puzzles me.

[Rage for Order]

16. I'm not sure what he expects to get out of this meeting with Hamas

From the Hamas Charter:

http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm

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

"The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. "

"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."

"After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", and their present conduct is the best proof of what we are saying."


Whatever Carter's intentions, Hamas does not sound very receptive to negotiation. The leaders of Hamas will smile for the world's cameras while shaking Carter's hand, telling the world, "See how reasonable and peace-loving we are? Now if only those mean, war-loving Israelis would negotiate with us in good faith, we could all be friends!"

[Zynx]

17. Hamas is not a respectable organization.

I am disappointed Carter is meeting with them. There are legitimate secular authorities in the Palestinian areas.

[Tesha]

23. Hamas has pretty much become the legitimate* authority in Palestine.

* Whether you like it or not and regardless of the
fact that they are decidedly non-secular.

But there really aren't any "secular" authorities
in *ANY* country in the Middle East, are there?

Tesha

[frankf]

37. Ignoring them won't make them change either

- only become more radical and third parties can negotiate without as much mental baggage.

[fascisthunter]

18. Those Who Want War and Not Peaceful Solutions Attack Him

They want an ultimatum that ends in conflict. We have seen Bush and others in American History push for the very same thing. Never negotiate, and never talk with a said enemy. It's pretty damn transparent how they opt for no solution but a violent one.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. LOL!

"You are with us or against us." Sound familiar? It is a variation of your very post.

[fascisthunter]

32. No... Actually It's a Variation of Your Own Mind Set (nt)

It's what prompted you to project in response to my point. You may fool yourself, but you don't fool me.

[Behind the Aegis]

33. No...it is **your** mindset and that of your dualistic buddies.

Shades of grey do not exist in your world or Bush's, it is why you issue "either or" statements, or variations, therein.

[fascisthunter]

34. You Should Stand in Front of a Mirror Regarding Carter

and the Palestinians. You fool nobody.... belief is one thing, delusion is a whole other ball of wax. Have fun spinning yourself into a knot.

[Behind the Aegis]

35. The only spinning here is you and the mule.

Your posts reflect your true intentions and peace is not the objective, unless peace has been redefined to mean propaganda, hate, and lies. You're a hunter, but it isn't of "fascists."

[fascisthunter]

36. Nope... nice try... move along now

[Behind the Aegis]

38. Sad, sad, sad.

All bluster and nothing more.

[fascisthunter]

39. I Support Carter's Peace Initiative How about You?

Or are you too "one sided" to bring yourself to support Carter? Did he say some things that strike at the heart of a two-sided situation where not just Palestinians carry blame but zionist extremist bigoted Israeli neocons do too? Why don't you just say why you are really upset and move on.

Now go try to bait somebody else... oh and try not to accuse anyone of being "antisemitic" this time. It's really pathetic how low you go to stifle debate. I'm neither impressed nor going to entertain your orwellian delusion.

PS - If I was all blusetr as you posted, you would never have bothered to reply well after I already posted. It's obvious I struck a nerve with you in my original post so throw away the faux conceit. You are the second person I am placing on ignore... buh bye.

[Behind the Aegis]

45. Still, so, so sad.

You ask questions, then place me on ignore, indicating what I knew all along, you were not interested in a response, just perpetuating your anti-Israeli stance, all the while pretending to be something you are not, fair.

I said nothing about anti-Semitism, you did. You are the one trying to stifle debate by claiming I did something I didn't do and then asking questions for which you refuse to hear an answer. Typical.

PS -- I responded 2 hours after the initial post you made. I think the only nerve struck here was yours. Ta-ta.

[Tesha]

24. Bingo. On the nose! (NT)

[ckramer]

25. Israeli leaders shun Carter over planned Hamas meeting

Source: iht

On Saturday, Carter said he felt "quite at ease" about meeting with Hamas militants. "I think there's no doubt in anyone's mind that if Israel is ever going to find peace with justice concerning the relationship with their next-door neighbors, the Palestinians, that Hamas will have to be included in the process," he said. He was interviewed Saturday for the ABC News program "This Week," airing Sunday.

The U.S. lists Hamas as a terrorist organization, and on Friday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized Carter. "I find it hard to understand what is going to be gained by having discussions with Hamas about peace when Hamas is, in fact, the impediment to peace," Rice said.


Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/13/mideast/carter.php

---

My opinion: Carter is right, Rice is wrong.

[Turbineguy]

26. Look at it this way

If Hamas tells Carter where to get off, there can be no margin of doubt left as to who they are.

[gratuitous]

27. Good thinking, Dr. Rice

Ignoring Hamas and cutting them out of any peace process will surely just make them disappear. No need to treat with someone who isn't there. And when they aren't there again tomorrow when further attacks are carried out? Well, they'll go away soon. Just pay them no attention. It's the attention that keeps Hamas in existence.

It truly takes an uncommon mind to think of these things. Fortunately, our administration is chock full of them, and our good friends the Israelis have seen fit to install such uncommon thinkers at the top of their government as well.

[Preston120]

28. What's wrong with treating people the way you would like to be treated

[DirtyDawg]

29. When will we start calling a spade a spade?

Wouldn't if have been marvelous if Jimmy had responded to Condi Rice's comment of 'I find it hard to understand...blah, blah, blah,'...with a 'That sounds like the response she offers to everything, e.g., 'Who could have imagined them flying planes into buildings?'...or any number of instances where she skinned her ignorance.' I suppose that Jimmy has got to just press on with activities that can help pave the way for a President Obama to bring genuine peace in the Middle East - starting with doing something for Palestinians and Israelis - and simply ignore the bush/cheney cabal.

[Jim Sagle]

30. My opinion: Hamas SSSSSSUXXXXX, Israel RRAWWWWWXXXXXXXX!!!!

[Bragi]

31. I support Carter on this /nt

[mdmc]

42. me too!

[BlueIris]

43. Jimmy Carter is a peace MACHINE.

I am in awe of his devotion to the cause. Just in awe. President Carter, they should all be like you.

[Thepricebreaker]

44. If it was so "Righteous" where is Obama and Hillary on the subject.... n/t