President Carter on Afghanistan and peace.

[denem]

The Carter Doctrine
23 January 1980

The region which is now threatened by Soviet troops in Afghanistan is of great strategic importance: It contains more than two-thirds of the world's exportable oil. The Soviet effort to dominate Afghanistan has brought Soviet military forces to within 300 miles of the Indian Ocean and close to the Straits of Hormuz, a waterway through which most of the world's oil must flow. The Soviet Union is now attempting to consolidate a strategic position, therefore, that poses a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil.

This situation demands careful thought, steady nerves, and resolute action, not only for this year but for many years to come. It demands collective efforts to meet this new threat to security in the Persian Gulf and in Southwest Asia. It demands the participation of all those who rely on oil from the Middle East and who are concerned with global peace and stability. And it demands consultation and close cooperation with countries in the area which might be threatened.

Meeting this challenge will take national will, diplomatic and political wisdom, economic sacrifice, and, of course, military capability. We must call on the best that is in us to preserve the security of this crucial region.

Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine

[denem]

1. I say a number of votes here with 1. Carter as most liberal

Democratic President since 1976. I suppose a comment of who put in the play the march towards the Taliban in the the first place is 'an inconvenient' truth.

[Hippo_Tron]

4. Carter did what any other Democrat or Republican would've done in his place

Otherwise his foreign policy was far more liberal than any Democrat or Republican during the Cold War era.

[wyldwolf]

2. we tend to only remember the good as time drags on

Which is why many here believe Democrats have gotten less liberal.

[rug]

3. The midwife of al Qaeda.

[denem]

5. kick

[wyldwolf]

6. ok, denem, I see you want to open up a discussion on this, so I'll "drop a few bombs."

Jimmy Carter was one of the most conservative Democratic presidents we've had since Woodrow Wilson. Depending on your perspective, he was much more conservative than any Democrat since Wilson.

Time Magazine said of him:

A catalog of contradictions: Liberal, moderate, conservative, compassionate, ruthless, soft, tough, a charlatan, a true believer, a defender of the status quo, a populist Hamlet... A Democrat who thinks like a Republican... he also considers himself a fiscal conservative...

Other facts concerning him:

A former State Senator, he was elected Governor by running to the right of the other Democratic candidates. "I was never a liberal," he told state voters that year. "I am and have always been a conservative."

He campaigned against school busing.

A supporter of the Viet Nam war, as Governor he declared "American Fighting Man's Day" in support of Lt. William Calley after his court martial on charges of massacring civilians.

At the 1972 Democratic convention, he was a delegate for Henry "Scoop" Jackson's (said by some to be the father of the DLC) presidential campaign, and he worked with Al From of the DLC on economic issues as well.

One of his campaigns was endorsed by Pat Robertson, who aired a profile of him on the 700 Club.

He was a major supporter of NAFTA and pushed for MFN status for China.

I can say with some confidence, based on the the reasons some her bash Bill Clinton and to a lesser degree Barack Obama (but give them time!), DU would have HATED Jimmy Carter in 1976.

[berni_mccoy]

7. Carter would certainly be most hated here if he were President today as DUers often

buy the MSM spin and b.s. at face value and attack Obama with it. Carter would be destroyed by today's MSM.

[denem]

8. Then up comes Ronnie and we would have been astonished,

Sometimes it's just Democratic Hate Ground. We have to hate something. There has to be a culprit, and it's never ourselves.