Carter denies State Dept. told him to shun Hamas

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

ATLANTA, April 23 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter denied on Wednesday that the State Department warned him not to meet with leaders of the Islamist group Hamas before he made a recent trip to the Middle East.

Carter said Hamas' top official Khaled Meshaal told him during meetings in Damascus on Friday and Saturday that Hamas would "accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders if approved by Palestinians."

The United States brushed off the comments on Monday, arguing that Hamas' basic stance, which includes a call in its charter for the destruction of Israel, had not changed.

The State Department has said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, urged Carter not to meet with Hamas, a position restated by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but Carter denied this.

"No one in the State Department or any other department of the U.S. government ever asked him (Carter) to refrain from his recent visit to the Middle East or even suggested that he not meet with Syrian President (Bashar) Assad or leaders of Hamas," said a statement released by the Atlanta-based Carter Center, which speaks on the former president's behalf.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N23441664.htm

[MessiahRp]

1. Rice and Bushco are petrified that Hamas' legitimate status as an elected party would be recognized

Because if they were then people would have to deal with Hamas as they would any aggressive political party who takes things too far.... kind of like Republicans... after all Hamas is no more terrorist than Bush/Cheney are now.

Besides how can we declare war on people we have peaceful negotiations with?

Rp

[ToughLuck]

2. I am so sick and tired of Carter being smeared by these freaking war mongers!

Thank God for Carter!

[0007]

3. junior and his 'Ho are goddam lairs.

[plasticsundance]

4. Hey kids ...

The US State Dept & the Israeli government have been talking to Hamas. Carter is there to do the work needed to be done while at the same time not to agitate the Israeli apologists too much.

I'm sure the powers-that-be understand everything is negotiable.

[Virginia Dare]

5. Another day, another bushco lie...

they have no interest in peace. It's counteractive to their true agenda.

[Hulk]

6. Wow....who should I believe.....Carter, or THIS administration of "straight talkers"??

Once again, sleezy and her crime family are being exposed for the liars they are. Go Jimmy! If anything can bring this crazy Middle East tension to a close, I'm all for it.

As for "shoe-shopping educated black lady", she can eat shit and bark at the moon.

[Eugene]

7. Carter says Secretary Rice "not telling truth" - Reuters

Carter says Secretary Rice "not telling truth"
Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:57pm EDT

By Matthew Bigg

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on
Wednesday accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of
not telling the truth about warnings she said her department
gave Carter not to speak to Hamas before a Middle East trip.

-snip-

"President Carter has the greatest respect for ... Rice and
believes her to be a truthful person. However, perhaps
inadvertently, she is continuing to make a statement that is
not true," a statement issued by the Carter center in Atlanta
said on Wednesday.

"No one in the State Department or any other department of
the U.S. government ever asked him (Carter) to refrain from
his recent visit to the Middle East or even suggested that he
not meet with Syrian President (Bashar) Assad or leaders of
Hamas," it said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2344166420080423

---

A Bushie not telling the truth? Surprise, surprise. :eyes:

[Supersedeas]

20. credibility -- Condi -- got any?

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Gee, hard choice who to believe - The Bush Administration or Jimmy Carter.

.
.
.

Dumm Canuck says believe Carter.

USAmericans with their mantra of "we gotta be able to carry guns" and making war all over the globe are definitely not "peacekeepers"

Carter lost his presidency because he was not "macho" enough for the USAmerican pugilistic society, where everything seems to be resolved by violence.

Carter was one of the best Presidents in recent history for the USA to become a benevolent society.

Now it's preemptive war, attacking anyone perceived as the slightest threat, and with lying leaders encouraging the voter populace to support unnecessary war, occupation and genocide.

Jimmy Carter is trying to broker peace and prevent more wars and killing,

Something the present Administration is not interested in

. . . (sigh) . . .

[struggle4progress]

18. Carter lost in 80 because candidate Reagan promised Iranians missiles if they would delay release

of the embassy hostages until Carter's presidency ended

[Joanne98]

9. Carter says US Secretary Rice "not telling truth"

Source: Reuters

ATLANTA, April 23 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of not telling the truth about warnings she said her department gave Carter not to speak to Hamas before a Middle East trip.

The State Department has said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, issued the warning before Carter, a veteran of Middle East diplomacy, went on his trip last week.

Rice said in Kuwait on Tuesday: "We counseled President Carter against going to the region and particularly against having contact with Hamas."

"President Carter has the greatest respect for ... Rice and believes her to be a truthful person. However, perhaps inadvertently, she is continuing to make a statement that is not true," a statement issued by the Carter center in Atlanta said on Wednesday.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN23419139

[orleans]

10. why do they have to soft-soap/couch it up with

crap like carter has the greatest respect for her/believes she is a truthful person?

she's a fucking liar! LIAR!

say it! say it! SAY IT!

[Hulk]

11. Who you going to believe?.....Carter or sleezy?

Come on America. You've swallowed all the other horse shit this administration has shoveled down your throat. Just one more bite....open wide!

[WCGreen]

12. It's all a game...

And Carter knows it.

He had contact with Hamas because the US can not officially reach out to them.

Everybody wins in this one.

Hamas comes off as less "evil", the Bush Administration gets an idea of where Hamas really stands on the issue of recognizing Israel and Carter gets to show he is really good at what he does best.

[mac2]

13. Carter should have been told he needs an elected official

to send him to negotiate with Hamas. He has no bargaining power without it. He violates the Logan Act. It's Carter's ego more that any thing else.

So many countries in the world have sent people to talk to both sides. Until we stop sending Isreal money and turning a blind eye it won't end.

Carter's ability to bring peace should be questioned after his giving away our Panama Canal (now owned by the Chinese). We built and paid a pretty penny for it. Some even died building it.

It's political to act like Democrats could do it. Then stop funding Israel Democrats.

[LynnTheDem]

14. Danm that DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Hamas government!

Dontcha hate when DEMOCRACY makes for governments we don't like!

[mac2]

15. Yes...Bush doesn't like democratically elected leaders unless

he picks them.

[laylah]

16. Whatever

President Carter says, I will believe up and beyond, whatever the whores say!

[MinM]

17. Nobody could have predicted that Condi would lie...

about this. :sarcasm:

[truthisfreedom]

19. Carter is a f*kcing hero.

Anybody wants to fight me? I'll tie one hand and both legs behind my back.