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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Jimmy Carter to meet with Hamas leader in Syria |
| 2008-04-09 |
| Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world. The Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that Carter was planning a trip to Syria for mid-April, during which he would meet with Khaled Meshal, the exiled head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas, on April 18. Deanna Congileo, Carter’s press secretary, confirmed in an e-mail to FOXNews.com that Carter will be in the Mideast in April. Pressed for comment, Congileo did not deny that the former president is considering visiting Meshal. “President Carter is planning a trip to the Mideast next week; however, we are still confirming details of the trip and will issue a press release by the end of this week,” wrote Congileo. “I cannot confirm any specific meetings at this point in time.” The State Department has designated Hamas a "foreign terrorist organization," and some groups hold Meshal personally responsible for ordering the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack once said of the prospect of meeting with Meshal, "That's not something that we could possibly conceive of." Some Carter critics called the latest reports typical of the ex-president. “It’s about par for the course from President Carter, demonstrating a lack of judgment typical of what he does," said John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. "To go to Syria to visit Hamas at this point is just an ill-timed, ill-advised decision on his part." “I’m not surprised that Carter would do this, as he has been supporting Palestinian extremism for many years,” said Steve Emerson, director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, a watchdog group. Carter would be the first Western leader of his stature to meet with the Hamas chief. Though Meshal met with Clinton officials in the 1990s, the Bush administration has sought to isolate Hamas, enforcing rigid sanctions on its government in Gaza and refusing to meet with its leaders unless it recognizes Israel and abandons terror. “I think this [visit] undermines the U.S. policy of isolating Hamas,” said Emerson. “I think this encourages Europeans to further dilute their sanctions against the Hamas government.” "When you put the prestige of a former president of the United States in a meeting with one of its terrorist leaders, you’re giving it a legitimacy and currency it never had,” said Bolton. But Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a non-profit advocacy group, said Carter's efforts demonstrate he's a true partner in peace. “I think if true, this report would indicate that President Carter is willing to travel any road in search of peace,” he said. “I think President Carter would only undertake such a mission if he believed that something could be achieved in terms of peace and reconciliation in the region.” Hooper added that because of Carter's reputation among Palestinians he might be able to bring some pressure to bear. “Obviously President Carter has a great amount of credibility in the region because of his past efforts seeking peace internationally,” Hooper said. The Al-Hayat report stated that Carter would be traveling in his capacity as head of the Carter Center, and not in his capacity as a former president. “That’s a distinction that’s absurd,” said Emerson. “Maybe he’ll give up his pension, but he’s always a former president,” said Bolton. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #29 revoke his passport. make him stay with his barbaric buddies. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2008-04-09 23:14 |
| #28 Jeebus, tu (#20). First the Maoists, then Hamas. Who's next Jimmy? Headin' to ZimBOBwe next, due to his "election crisis"???? And, sinse (#22), I agree's with ya. As a native Georgian, I just can't fathom where this goon gets his thought process. Of course, we were also home to Moonbat Cynthia McKinney for a time, too. Must be something in the water. |
| Posted by: BA 2008-04-09 22:05 |
| #27 The Iranians demonstrated how useless he was in 1979 and 1980. Now, 28 years later, he's stupid enough to kiss the arse of one of their most vile puppets. Truly a fool. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2008-04-09 20:18 |
| #26 |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-04-09 20:08 |
| #25 Dang...was trying to post the Rantburg "Quisling Postage Stamp" pic. |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2008-04-09 19:15 |
| #24 http://207.114.86.27/images/quisling.jpg |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2008-04-09 19:14 |
| #23 #18: We should lock him up the moment he sets foot back in the US as a agent for a terrorist entity and enabler of terrorism. Don't let him back in - EVER! If Amy bitches, ship her a$$ out, too. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-04-09 18:53 |
| #22 Darth i have a similar idea revoke his citizenship for meeting with terrorist maybe they willl give him sanctuary. Also being from GA also i can't undertsand how this buffoon came from here. Has anyone considered giving him some kinda alzheimers test |
| Posted by: sinse 2008-04-09 17:55 |
| #21 Hey Assad, you've wanted to kill a US President? Feel free with the one visiting. We will not miss him one bit. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-04-09 17:41 |
| #20 He's a busy man on the Terrorist Suck Up Tour... Jimmy Carter meets Nepal's Maoists despite US terror tag KATHMANDU (AFP) — Former US president Jimmy Carter met the leaders of Nepal's former Maoist rebels Tuesday, even though the group remains classified by Washington as a foreign "terrorist" organisation. Carter, whose democracy and human rights organisation is monitoring this Thursday's landmark elections in the Himalayan nation, was given assurances by the Maoists that the polls would be peaceful. Oh. Okay. Y'all look lahk fine fellas. I'm sure y'all wouldn't lie ta me. And even if you did, ah couldn't do much about it. And ah probably wouldn't even care. "President Carter wanted to know about the election situation and expressed his concern over whether it will be free and fair," Baburam Bhattarai, the Maoists' second-in-command, told reporters after the meeting."We assured him that the elections will be held in a peaceful manner and we are committed to peaceful polls," Bhattarai said after the meeting between himself, Carter and Maoist leader Prachanda. See. They gave me their word. Commies wouldn't lie ta me. The run-up to the polls has been marred by violence by all political parties, but particularly the Maoists, the United Nations has said. Oh, ah'm sure they didn't mean it. Probably just a misunnerstandin. Probably won't happen again. The Maoists -- who fought a decade-long guerrilla war aimed at toppling the monarchy -- signed a peace deal in late 2006, but remain on a US list of terrorist organisations. Well if the US guvmint calls them terrorists, ah'm sure thay're probably mah kinda people... The polls are a central plank of the peace deal, and will elect a body that is expected to abolish Nepal's monarchy as well as write a new constitution. An if it doesn't work out, oh well, ah'll just blame Bush... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-04-09 17:08 |
| #19 All I can think of is Proverbs 26:11 |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2008-04-09 16:51 |
| #18 We should lock him up the moment he sets foot back in the US as a agent for a terrorist entity and enabler of terrorism. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-04-09 14:16 |
| #17 While I certainly don't wish for it, it would be a strange twist of fate if Hamas made him a hostage. Ransom him with a boxcar load of peanuts. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-04-09 14:07 |
| #16 He's going to lead the Egypt Border breaching party! 'Cuz nobdy would shoot an ex-amerikan prezident...' |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2008-04-09 14:04 |
| #15 At last Jimmy's and Mossad's plan will pay off. Carter will wear a bomb vest! |
| Posted by: Hupitle Mussolini6241 2008-04-09 13:41 |
| #14 Carter would be the first Western leader of his stature to meet with the Hamas chief. What stature? He was driven out of the White House in disgrace by Ronald Reagan in 1980. Since then he has done nothing but make a fool of himself and embarrass the United States. The best that even staunch Democrats can say for him is that he "meant well". |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2008-04-09 13:06 |
| #13 At least it gets the old gasbag out of the country. So its not all bad. |
| Posted by: Oldcat 2008-04-09 11:26 |
| #12 Quickly moving up to Number One on the Piss on My Grave America Tour. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-04-09 11:22 |
| #11 Nimble, Absolutely correct. And I BTW would not be sad if he is held hostage and his heart gives out from the stress. |
| Posted by: jds 2008-04-09 09:49 |
| #10 Bush has mad a terrible mistake not enforcing the Logan Act. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-04-09 09:15 |
#9  |
| Posted by: Mike 2008-04-09 09:02 |
| #8 since he's a bought-and-paid-for tool of the Saoooodis, I wonder how they feel about this? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-04-09 08:57 |
| #7 They'll find they agree on a lot of things |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2008-04-09 08:37 |
| #6 it would be a strange twist of fate if Hamas made him a hostage. Ugh - you really want to give that jerk a worldwide platform to spew hatred of Israel? He'd be an honored guest explaining oh so patiently just why Hamas are the true victims here and deserve more support. The MSM would replay his clips incessantly. Just what we DON'T need. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-04-09 07:50 |
| #5 Can we open negotiations with Hamas so they keep Jimmy? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-04-09 07:23 |
| #4 Mossad gives the Nod to the Sylvilagus Aquaticus™ team. /YES! |
| Posted by: RD 2008-04-09 07:15 |
| #3 A fool on a fool's errand. |
| Posted by: Xenophon 2008-04-09 07:10 |
| #2 That would certainly be terrible, wouldn't it. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-04-09 05:59 |
| #1 While I certainly don't wish for it, it would be a strange twist of fate if Hamas made him a hostage. A completion of the cosmic circle, as a friend of mine used to say. |
| Posted by: Woodrow Slusorong7967 2008-04-09 05:54 |