Carter: Americans were misled on war

**min0 lee** · 11-08-2005, 08:34 PM

Source

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter said Friday that there isn't "any doubt" the American people were misled about the war in Iraq and that President George Bush's policy on the war is a "radical departure from the policies of any president."

In an interview with CNN, Carter addressed some of the comments made in his new book, "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis." In the book he says the Bush administration was determined to attack Iraq using "false and distorted claims after 9/11."

Carter said the Bush administration spoke of mushroom clouds, weapons of mass destruction and the threat of thousands of Americans dying to garner support for the war. No weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq. (Watch Carter's interview -- 8:33)

He was careful to say he didn't know whether intelligence was misinterpreted or purposely twisted, and Carter praised the attempts by his fellow Democrats in Congress to press efforts to look into the matter. (Watch how the Senate went into secret session over the intelligence used to back the war -- 3:05)

"If the investigation would go ahead and proceed, as Democrats have been trying to in the Senate now for more than 18 months, then we will know the circumstances under which the American people -- and I think an entire world -- was misled about what was going on in Iraq," he said.

Carter added that he had seen no evidence the White House was involved in the CIA leak investigation that ensnared Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, last week.

Libby is accused of lying to investigators and a grand jury probing the disclosure of the identity of a CIA officer whose husband had challenged administration claims that then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had been trying to restart his nuclear weapons program.

Carter also said that the administration's pre-emptive strike doctrine directed against the possible future use of weapons of mass destruction is a spurious basis for a war when there is no immediate threat to America's security.

"We'll bomb, strafe and send missiles against their people even though our security's not directly threatened," he said. "This is contrary to international law. It's also contrary to what every president has done in this country for more than 100 years, Democrat or Republican."

As the former president spoke from the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, protests in Mar del Plata, Argentina -- where Bush is attempting to promote free trade among the 34 nations comprising the Summit of the Americas -- had turned violent. (Full story)

Shown live footage of the protests, Carter said the United States' reputation in the world is as low as it's been in his lifetime and that the United States has lost its prestige, authority and influence in Latin America. He added, however, that the chief opponent to the Free Trade Area of the Americas, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is a "demagogue." (Read about Congressional passage of the Central American Free Trade Act)

Before the protests turned violent, Chavez denounced capitalism to thousands of demonstrators from his perch in front of a six-story banner of communist revolutionary Che Guevara. Protesters, including Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona, listened as Chavez claimed he would "bury" the Free Trade Area of the Americas proposal. Maradona wore a shirt accusing Bush of war crimes, while protesters called the U.S. president a "terrorist" and a "fascist." (Watch the protests -- 1:25)

Carter defended Bush and dismissed as rhetoric the words of the Venezuelan president.

"The personal attacks on the president and the condemnations of America by Hugo Chavez from Venezuela, I think, are completely unjustified and uncalled for," Carter said. "Chavez is a difficult person with whom to deal personally. I know from my own experience."

Carter was voted out of office in 1980 -- 25 years ago on Friday -- after Iranian militants took Americans captive in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The hostages were freed after 444 days as Carter left office.

**BigDyl** · 11-08-2005, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Source

Uh oh, here comes the political flame war...

**Dale Mabry** · 11-08-2005, 08:49 PM

I better go make before this gets good.

**gococksDJS** · 11-08-2005, 08:51 PM

Carter's old ass cleaned up after Watergate, so tell him to clean this shit up. Or ask him about the Oil-for-Food scandal.

**bulletproof1** · 11-08-2005, 08:51 PM

there has to be 2 sides to have a war. bush has run this country in the fuckin ground. seems pretty cut and dry to me.

**BigDyl** · 11-08-2005, 08:52 PM

*Adds fuel to the fire...

I heard that "US Forces 'Used Chemical Weapons' During Assault on City of Fallujah."

**Big Smoothy** · 11-08-2005, 08:56 PM

The Yanks deserve what they get in Iraq.

BOOM! BOOM!

Ha-ha-ha....

**gococksDJS** · 11-08-2005, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by bulletproof1

there has to be 2 sides to have a war. bush has run this country in the fuckin ground. seems pretty cut and dry to me.

In what aspect? U.S. business productivity grew much more than Wall Street had expected in the 3rd quarter. Retail sales were up in October. October layoffs were lower than expected. Despite the inflation surge, the economy is holding stable. Employment grew in October. Oil prices dropped to pre-Katrina prices, causing a surge on Wall Street. The real-estate trouble is speculation right now and could be trouble, but how has he driven this country into the ground? The Iraq crap could spell trouble in the future but to say he has driven the country into the ground is anything but cut and dry.

**BigDyl** · 11-08-2005, 09:25 PM

http://www.detnews.com/2005/money/05...ney-372480.htm

**TJ Cline** · 11-08-2005, 09:28 PM

no comment

**min0 lee** · 11-08-2005, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

no comment

**BigDyl** · 11-08-2005, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

no comment

**lnvanry** · 11-08-2005, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by BigDyl

http://www.detnews.com/2005/money/05...ney-372480.htm

sure read the Detnews, nytimes, and washpost and they'll spin it in anyway possible to flame Bush.

Read the Wall Street, pantagraph (my home town newsie), or US military journal and you'll get a spin in the other direction.

Economically speaking the country is growing...FACT...It is projected to be around 4% growth. I think that's phenomenal considering all the fucking disasters.

The PEOPLE of the US are the most resiliant people on the planet...shit goes down and we still succeed. We can bounce back from anything.

**lnvanry** · 11-08-2005, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_Snafu

The Yanks deserve what they get in Iraq.

BOOM! BOOM!

Ha-ha-ha....

**BigDyl** · 11-09-2005, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by lnvanry

sure read the Detnews, nytimes, and washpost and they'll spin it in anyway possible to flame Bush.

**Decker** · 11-09-2005, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by gococksDJS

In what aspect? U.S. business productivity grew much more than Wall Street had expected in the 3rd quarter. Retail sales were up in October. October layoffs were lower than expected. Despite the inflation surge, the economy is holding stable. Employment grew in October. Oil prices dropped to pre-Katrina prices, causing a surge on Wall Street. The real-estate trouble is speculation right now and could be trouble, but how has he driven this country into the ground? The Iraq crap could spell trouble in the future but to say he has driven the country into the ground is anything but cut and dry.

Bush is driving the country’s financial health into the ground. The debt is currently over 8 trillion, up from 5.5 trillion when he took office and is projected to hit 10 trillion by the conclusion of 2006. But he keeps cutting taxes and asking for more spending. Bush is selling out our future to live high off the hog now. . .like some pathetic credit card grifter.

Long-term national debt creates deficits, depresses savings, exacerbates inflation, interest rates go up attracting foreign investors which puts pressure on the US dollar, and weakens America’s ability to finance much needed refurbishing of national infrastructure/gov. programs.

Presidents have the least control of any gov. entity over the economy…except for this one. Historically the US had a system of checks and balances—the pres. makes suggestions but the congress controls the country’s purse strings… that appears to be diminished to the point of lock-step mentality playing fast and loose with fiscal policy (mortgaging our future—unfair tax cuts, unnecessary war etc.). Anyways, the real players in the US economy are the business cycle and the Federal Reserve. The chairman of the Federal Reserve controls the money supply which influences the business cycle, i.e., he manages the country’s monetary policy.

“As of May, 2005, there have been 893,000 jobs created over the first 52 months of the Bush presidency - a gain that is due solely to the 917,000 jobs created in the government sector that offset the 24,000 jobs lost in the private sector. Since the Great Depression, no other president who served at least 52 months has overseen a net loss in private sector jobs through this point. In addition to lack of job growth, real weekly and hourly wages have declined since the start of the recession. At a time when middle-class Americans are experiencing stagnant wages and vanishing benefits, CEO pay continues to rise.”
Source: Center for American Progress, Economic Policy Weekly, Jenna Churchman, June 6, 2005

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 09:27 AM

I don't care what he's talking about, Carter is an asshat. He committed so many fuck ups during his term it's disgusting.

The US can't assassinate anyone: check
English is no longer a requirement to become a citizen: check
Give up the most strategic land in the Americas: check

And many, many more...

Why can't he just hurry up and DIE?!

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 09:28 AM

On a related note: I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else on this planet.

**Decker** · 11-09-2005, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by cfs3

I don't care what he's talking about, Carter is an asshat. He committed so many fuck ups during his term it's disgusting.

The US can't assassinate anyone: check
English is no longer a requirement to become a citizen: check
Give up the most strategic land in the Americas: check

And many, many more...

Why can't he just hurry up and DIE?!

Many of the policies Carter enacted were picked up by Reagan and accelerated: Deregulation of the airlines, trucking, railroads, oil and interest rates, and set up much of the deregulation machinery Reagan would later use. Carter cannot be blamed for the double-digit inflation that peaked on his watch, because inflation started growing in 1965 and snowballed for the next 15 years. To battle inflation, Carter appointed Paul Volcker as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, who defeated it by putting the nation through an intentional recession. Once the threat of inflation abated in late 1982, Volcker cut interest rates and flooded the economy with money, fueling an expansion that lasted seven years. Neither Carter nor Reagan had much to do with the economic events that occurred during their terms.

**bulletproof1** · 11-09-2005, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Many of the policies Carter enacted were picked up by Reagan and accelerated: Deregulation of the airlines, trucking, railroads, oil and interest rates, and set up much of the deregulation machinery Reagan would later use. Carter cannot be blamed for the double-digit inflation that peaked on his watch, because inflation started growing in 1965 and snowballed for the next 15 years. To battle inflation, Carter appointed Paul Volcker as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, who defeated it by putting the nation through an intentional recession. Once the threat of inflation abated in late 1982, Volcker cut interest rates and flooded the economy with money, fueling an expansion that lasted seven years. Neither Carter nor Reagan had much to do with the economic events that occurred during their terms.

damn dude what are you doin here? you should be on jeopardy.

**Decker** · 11-09-2005, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by bulletproof1

damn dude what are you doin here? you should be on jeopardy.

Thanks but I'd get killed on Jeopardy....this forum however is fun. I haven't been on the boards in a while and Cfs3 is always a good debater.

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Many of the policies Carter enacted were picked up by Reagan and accelerated: Deregulation of the airlines, trucking, railroads, oil and interest rates, and set up much of the deregulation machinery Reagan would later use. Carter cannot be blamed for the double-digit inflation that peaked on his watch, because inflation started growing in 1965 and snowballed for the next 15 years. To battle inflation, Carter appointed Paul Volcker as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, who defeated it by putting the nation through an intentional recession. Once the threat of inflation abated in late 1982, Volcker cut interest rates and flooded the economy with money, fueling an expansion that lasted seven years. Neither Carter nor Reagan had much to do with the economic events that occurred during their terms.

I wasn't referring to economics, just the overall choices that Carter made. I agree though, the Fed Chairman generally has more affect on the economy than anyone else. With the occasional exception, like Bush's waste of money on Iraq. If we had just bombed the shit out of them and left, the affect on the economy would have been negligible.

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Decker

Thanks but I'd get killed on Jeopardy....this forum however is fun. I haven't been on the boards in a while and Cfs3 is always a good debater.

This reminded me of a scene from Buffy:

Willow: Well, I think we have Dracula factoids.
Xander: Like any of that's enough to fight the Dark Master. (They look at him) Bator.

**Decker** · 11-09-2005, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by cfs3

This reminded me of a scene from Buffy:

Willow: Well, I think we have Dracula factoids.
Xander: Like any of that's enough to fight the Dark Master. (They look at him) Bator.

hahaha...that's good. I used to dig that show. Hell, I still tune into WWE every now and then too until my wife reminds me how gay wrestling is. Last thing I need now is the gay.

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 11:29 AM

Too late, you've Got The Gay.

Buffy had more wit, and just generally better writing, than most shows on TV.

**Decker** · 11-09-2005, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by cfs3

Too late, you've Got The Gay. . .

Well then, Balls across the chin for everyone.

**DOMS** · 11-09-2005, 11:46 AM

**lnvanry** · 11-09-2005, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by BigDyl

go back to class boy...or maybe you should actually read the paper

**dougnukem** · 11-09-2005, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_Snafu

The Yanks deserve what they get in Iraq.

BOOM! BOOM!

Ha-ha-ha....

Hey, I'm in Iraq, and I aint got shit. Man, I always miss out. That's it, I am pushing to get Ralph Nadar back on the election card.....

**lnvanry** · 11-09-2005, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by dougnukem

Hey, I'm in Iraq, and I aint got shit. Man, I always miss out. That's it, I am pushing to get Ralph Nadar back on the election card.....

I would love for the third party to get back on all the election cards

....

but I would never vote for them

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