Who was the worst president of the United States? For my money it is Jimmy Carter. He is primarily responsible for the emergence of Iran as an Islamic state. His actions and policies at the time have come to haunt us and the world. I think his “stature” among our enemies is proof of this assertion. Without Carter’s insistence that the Shah be overthrown and Khomeini installed as chief mullah we would not be facing another military “option” in the region. Many people either don’t remember or fail to remember that the US and France insisted upon Khomeini being allowed back to Iran from self-imposed exile. The ostensible rationale was that the Shah was unbearably cruel to his subjects, that he had been illegitimately installed as ruler in 1953, and that an Islamic Republic would be a kinder, gentler, place. Since then tens, if not hundreds of thousands have been executed for various Islamic violations. People like Sean Penn are willing tools of the mullahs. Carter’s plan backfired almost immediately as the mullahs allowed “students” to storm the US Embassy and capture the staff. I had a friend stationed in Iran at the time, a civilian, working on telecommunications for Iran. As an American his situation was tenuous at best. He managed to escape but it was touch and go for a while.
Jimmy Carter’s domestic economic policies were disastrous as interest rates reached 21% and inflation was also in double digits, prices changed almost daily. Being in debt was a good thing because the debt was being paid off in ever cheaper dollars. Savings accounts paid more than 12% but the money was worth less and less each month. Carter was a vacillator, afraid to make decisions. He did follow-up on the Nixon plan to bring China into a full relationship with the US and in fact Carter did establish a full diplomatic relationship with China.
Today Jimmy Carter is an America hater, what could be worse and more ridiculous? He thinks Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro are role models for leadership and morality. Carter is like all ultra left wing wackos: he hates himself, his country, and his lucky birth as a white person in the USA. He is ashamed without reason. Anyone born in the United States is luckier than most people on earth. The personal opportunities here are without parallel, try to better yourself in Cuba, it's worth 10 years in prison.
There were other presidents that were weak, venal, and vain: McKinley, Grant, Fillmore, and Cleveland to name a few. None of them went around the world legitimizing false elections and calling their country the greatest threat to world peace, a statement that flies in the face of the evidence.
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2 comments:
Hello John. I think we remember the Carter years (only 4 mind you) and his subsequent years of advancement of human rights, fighting poverty and, oh yes, peaceful democracy a bit differently. I remember visiting the Carter Center and feeling truly humbled by this man's work. Also, isn't it a bit melodramatic to suggest that Islam wasn't responsible for Iran becoming an Islamic state but that it was Jimmy Carter? Conservative Islam, like conservative (insert any religion here) is a dangerous thing (leading to repression, pride, prejudice and, often, violence). And, as an ultra-leftie I honestly don't hate America, myself or my lucky birth. I do dislike that my dissent is deemed unpatriotic, my desire for a cleaner environment is "dopey" and my desire for peace through peaceful means is considered cowardly. It's very trendy these days for the "right" to say such things in the name of loving America. What nonsense. On the other hand I appreciate your open-mindedness on some issues and your occasional courting of history. You strike a strange and occasionally dissonant balance of ideas.
best regards,
K Thomas
Dear K
Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment. I agree with you on some points, but I must stand on my original about Jimmy Carter. I too have visited his museum, I did not feel humbled. There is only one way to fight poverty and that is to make certain there is opportunity and the incentive to take advantage of it, giving out money does not work. I personally don't think that dissent is unpatriotic and I don't think any on the right except our own wackos do. Yes fundamentalist Islam is the prime mover in the existence of Iran, but Jimmy was one the main facilitators or enablers. Again thanks for your thoughts.
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