Carter hugs Hamas member as Israel fumes

[Praxius]

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/04/15/carter-hamas.html

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter hugged a leading member of the militant Palestinian political group Hamas on Tuesday, according to participants in a meeting that infuriated Israeli officials already upset by Carter's freelance Mideast peace mission.

Carter also laid a wreath at the grave of Yasser Arafat, whom the Bush administration and many Israelis blame for the breakdown of peace talks seven years ago and the violence that followed.

At a reception in the West Bank town of Ramallah organized by Carter's office, the former president hugged Nasser Shaer, a senior Hamas politician, participants in the function said.

"He gave me a hug. We hugged each other, and it was a warm reception," Shaer told The Associated Press. "Carter asked what he can do to achieve peace between the Palestinians and Israel … and I told him the possibility for peace is high."

Carter's office refused to comment, saying he does not discuss closed meetings.

Shaer, who served as deputy prime minister and education minister in the Hamas-led Palestinian government that unraveled last year, is considered a leading member of the Islamic militant group's pragmatic wing. After a stint in an Israeli prison last year, he is now a professor at a West Bank university, teaching comparative religion.
Israel says hug "dignifies" Hamas

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Carter's meeting with Hamas "dignified" a group committed to Israel's destruction. "One cannot but wonder how this attitude is supposed to promote peace and understanding," he said.

Israel and the West Bank are the first stops on a visit that also is to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria — where the virulently anti-Israel Hamas movement is headquartered. Shunned by his Israeli hosts and criticized by the White House for his willingness to meet with Hamas, Carter has urged that both stop isolating the militant group.

The U.S. has also expressed displeasure at Carter's overtures to Hamas, an Islamic group responsible for the deaths of some 250 Israelis in suicide bombings and labelled a terrorist organization by both countries.

Carter is to meet Khaled Mashaal, the group's exiled leader, in Damascus, Syria, on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is not meeting with Carter during his visit, and the only Israeli leader to host him, President Shimon Peres, scolded Carter for his planned meeting with Mashaal.

Well that's freedom of choice for ya... he should be able to do whatever he damn well wants.

And also, talk about expressing a screwed up mentality on Israel's side of things. Clearly they don't want any chance of peace, even if it could be started with something as simple as a friggin hug, they decide to get all anal about it and freak out.

It's gotta stop one way or another and one side has to step up to the plate and be the better half. If Carter can possibly do something over there to make things better, then what's the big deal?

 

[Colpy]

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/04/15/carter-hamas.html



Well that's freedom of choice for ya... he should be able to do whatever he damn well wants.

And also, talk about expressing a screwed up mentality on Israel's side of things. Clearly they don't want any chance of peace, even if it could be started with something as simple as a friggin hug, they decide to get all anal about it and freak out.

It's gotta stop one way or another and one side has to step up to the plate and be the better half. If Carter can possibly do something over there to make things better, then what's the big deal?

Carter is a free private citizen, of course he can do whatever he pleases.

I admire his work with Habitat for Humanity.....

Unfortunately, he is a moron. If the Iran hostage crisis didn't prove that, then the deal with North Korea he negotiated did.......

He just loves and trusts every lunatic murderer he runs into.........Yassir Arafat? My God!

BTW, as free citizens as well, we get to tell Carter he is an idiot........

 

[darkbeaver]

Carter is a free private citizen, of course he can do whatever he pleases.

I admire his work with Habitat for Humanity.....

Unfortunately, he is a moron. If the Iran hostage crisis didn't prove that, then the deal with North Korea he negotiated did.......

He just loves and trusts every lunatic murderer he runs into.........Yassir Arafat? My God!

BTW, as free citizens as well, we get to tell Carter he is an idiot........

Your expertise in idiots is well established via your staunch support of John MacInsane.

 

[Colpy]

Your expertise in idiots is well established via your staunch support of John MacInsane.

and to increase my intimate knowledge of the phenomenon of idiocy is the main reason I read your posts......

 

[Zzarchov]

What exactly is so insane about McCain, other than he's a republican you blindly hate him while knowing very little about him.

Its amazing that your hatred of his insanity only appears as he goes to run for president. Kind of like how John Kerry was a war hero till he got uppity and tried to run for president (or how Bush made strong implications against McCain in 2000 to secure nomination)

 

[Praxius]

Colpy you are in fair position to state your opinion on him being an idiot or not (Carter) But for me, at least he's trying to do something that nobody else would bother to look into. If hypothetically he helps improve relations between the two sides, or possibly find a resolution through his ways, then I have no place to bicker. Although as recent history has shown us, chances of any solution to the problem is probably still a very long time away.

Still doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Praxius]

What exactly is so insane about McCain, other than he's a republican you blindly hate him while knowing very little about him.

Well for me, the fact that he's continually spouting the same mentality as Bush has been doing so far, and shows no real goals for change (which to me it seems most of the country wants) he seems quite insane for not observing the obvious.

It'll be yet another sad era to enter into if he wins.... but then again, that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

 

[Zzarchov]

Which is the same sad mentality he's spouting that bush is?

What exactly is "change" defined as?

Nice talking points, but I mean, in terms of actual ideas...what is it no one likes about him?

 

[talloola]

Carter is a free private citizen, of course he can do whatever he pleases.

I admire his work with Habitat for Humanity.....

Unfortunately, he is a moron. If the Iran hostage crisis didn't prove that, then the deal with North Korea he negotiated did.......

He just loves and trusts every lunatic murderer he runs into.........Yassir Arafat? My God!

Lots of leaders made a try with Arafat, and lots 'failed', as it was Arafat who was the
idiot, and totally controlled by the palestinian terrorist group he was working for.
He always pretended he was trying to be co operative, but all the time he would
slide out of any agreement in the end.

 

[Scott Free]

How are you supposed to promote racism, religious intolerance and perpetual wars of imperialism if you have ex presidents wandering the globe hugging whomever they like?

Surely Bush can have Carter declared an enemy combatant?

In the very least someone needs to get Carter up to speed on the current US imperial agenda.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Well, Good for Jimmy! He's done pretty good for a peanut farmer!

 

[Colpy]

How are you supposed to promote racism, religious intolerance and perpetual wars of imperialism if you have ex presidents wandering the globe hugging whomever they like?

Surely Bush can have Carter declared an enemy combatant?

In the very least someone needs to get Carter up to speed on the current US imperial agenda.

Didn't you know?

A CIA operative blew Carter's brains out...........unfortunately, no one could tell the difference.

 

[#juan]

Carter is hardly a moron. The guy is a nuclear physicist, he has written sixteen books and is respected all over the world, unlike Bush or any other recent president.

 

[Zzarchov]

The fact that he is loved by everyone shows his ineffectiveness at reality.

If EVERYONE respects and loves you, it means you've got out of your way not to say unpleasant truths and instead shove around sugar frosted pleasantries that no one actually pretends will work, but they can't disagree with the pleasant sounding words.

I'd also like to point out a logical fallacy in your post. Sincewhen is being a nuclear physicist any kind of indicator of your skill as a leader? Its as bad was when people keep spouting off Einstein as if he has some kind of authority or insight into the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle.

Point out he's a president sure (albiet an ineffective one when it came to foreign policy), but being a physicist has nothing to do with this.

 

[Zzarchov]

How are you supposed to promote racism, religious intolerance and perpetual wars of imperialism if you have ex presidents wandering the globe hugging whomever they like?

Surely Bush can have Carter declared an enemy combatant?

In the very least someone needs to get Carter up to speed on the current US imperial agenda.

To be fair, Bush has done alot more to end racism, religious intolerance and perpetual wars of Imperialism than Carter, thats why everyone hates him.

The regimes he has toppled and the people who lived under them (there being the problem) are all very supportive of racism, religious intolerance and imperialism.

To a large portion of the world those are all accepted and good things (so long as your race is the one on top, your religion is the only one tolerated and the empire growing is your own)

 

[#juan]

The fact that he is loved by everyone shows his ineffectiveness at reality.

If EVERYONE respects and loves you, it means you've got out of your way not to say unpleasant truths and instead shove around sugar frosted pleasantries that no one actually pretends will work, but they can't disagree with the pleasant sounding words.

I'd also like to point out a logical fallacy in your post. Sincewhen is being a nuclear physicist any kind of indicator of your skill as a leader? Its as bad was when people keep spouting off Einstein as if he has some kind of authority or insight into the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle.

Point out he's a president sure (albiet an ineffective one when it came to foreign policy), but being a physicist has nothing to do with this.

I repeat, Jimmy Carter can hardly be called a moron. I said nothing about his being a leader.....That fell out of your head. The fact that he studied nuclear physics and that he has written sixteen books would point out to all but an idiot that the guy has something on the ball. I've listened to Carter's speeches and he makes more sense than you do. Go have yourself a rest.

 

[Zzarchov]

You can still be a moron and a nuclear physicist and even a writer or a president. Even if we go with the literal definition of Moron (which I don't think anyone is using) it is still possible though highly unlikely.

If we go with the common usage, its easy to be good with numbers and physics and still be a total moron. Ask most Comp. Sci Major's when they go to the bar to meet girls

 

[Scott Free]

You can still be a moron and a nuclear physicist and even a writer or a president.

Not really, but it's far more likely a moron would think that.

Lets look at the evidence:

Carter's accomplishments

President
16 books
Nobel Prize
Nuclear Physicist


I would say the odds favour that only a moron would think such a man could be a moron..

 

[I think not]

Not really, but it's far more likely a moron would think that.

Lets look at the evidence:

Carter's accomplishments

President
16 books
Nobel Prize
Nuclear Physicist


I would say the odds favour that only a moron would think such a man could be a moron..

Well if Kissinger and Arafat can get a Peace Prize why not Mr Peanuts?

 

[talloola]

To be fair, Bush has done alot more to end racism, religious intolerance and perpetual wars of Imperialism than Carter, thats why everyone hates him.

The regimes he has toppled and the people who lived under them (there being the problem) are all very supportive of racism, religious intolerance and imperialism.

To a large portion of the world those are all accepted and good things (so long as your race is the one on top, your religion is the only one tolerated and the empire growing is your own)

His 'lone' achievement is that"

He has built Al Quaida into the largest terrorist organization in the world, it is getting bigger and bigger and the u.s. military is getting smaller and smaller.

Carter is an accomplished intelligent patriotic u.s. citizen. The american government is being impolite and
insulting when they criticize him, as it is only because they can't 'boss' him around, he has the guts to go out
and do it 'his way', which is the right way. TALK TO PEOPLE, not hug them TALK doesn't do harm to anyone, but
could do much good.