“Despite the repugnant ideology and brutality of the Hamas leaders…” I wonder if Mr. Conason knows what a balanced view is. If Hamas’s ideology and praxis are repugnant, then what can we make of Israel’s and its master the US’ (or is it the other way around)? These two criminal nations have ignored international law and have bombed, invaded, assassinated, and destroyed innocent people’s lives. How do you call this Mr. Conason? If you say that Hamas practices terrorism then the US and Israel engage in state terrorism, which from a moral point of view is even more repugnant, especially because of theur calling themselves civilized and democratic. The American public may believe (some may not believe, but they are afraid of the radicals who shut them up) the lies coming out of the American media, but the rest of the world are fully aware of the moral degradation of everything related to American politics.

When Barack Obama was first asked about Carter’s Middle East mission, the junior senator from Illinois said: “Can I just finish my waffle?” Later, when he had to follow the AIPAC script, he quickly denounced Carter for meeting with Hamas. I guess the point of this character flaw is to say as President, Obama would talk to enemies, just not That enemy. Jesus! how low do you have to stoop in order to become president?
Three cheers for waffles everywhere!

The following is based on comments recently made by an Israeli historian who is not known for mincing real-politik.

“If there is no two-state solution here, there will be continuous warfare until one of the ethnic groups between the river [Jordan] and the sea wins,” Israeli historian Benny Morris said. “If the Arabs win, they will probably push the Jews into the sea, or gradually push them out. They’ll probably go off to America, if they’re not killed first. If the Jews win, my assumption would be that at the end of the day many of the Arabs would be completely driven out of Gaza and the West Bank.

Pres. Carter’s mission for which he was called a traitor by Danile Schorr on NPR and a bigot by the Israeli envoy to the UN may have been prompted by the scenario historian Morris foreseess.

Just what do you think would happen to Senator Obama if he suddenly said that AIPAC threatens the security of the United States? That same media that has attacked Rev. Wright, would be calling the junior senator from Illinois the devil himself. All of the main stream candidates are intimidated by the pro-Israeli lobby, whether you choose to recognize it or not.

Thank you for pointing out the truth. Robert Fisk detailed this in his writings.

The ritual flaying of James Earl Carter for daring to speak with Hamas (which at its inception was financed by Israel as a counterweight to Fatah) should come as no surprise under the present situation in which those who run things in the United States are determined to go to war with Iran, whether under Bush/Cheney or Ms Clinton. Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur....

Henri

I have friend from the Middle East who told me that Hamas was elected by the Palestinians because Fatah was so corrupt.

Yeah, anyone who doesn’t say “Turn Israel over to the Palestinians” is a Zionist in your book.

I notice you didn’t have anything nice to say about Mr. Carter.  Could it be even your ultra-left friends will castigate you publicly if you rip Carter up for daring to seek peace between Hamas and Israel?

I don’t know why everyone is so surprised by Obama’s response. Folks, he’s not a secular savior; he’s a politician. Just like Hillary, he’s calculating what he should say. Everything, from what he thinks will win the Jewish vote to how he can counter criticism that he’s naive, goes into his abacus. He thought this was his best bet.

People around here give far too much credit to AIPAC for our troubles in the region. You’d think they were flooding our politicians wallets with money and breaking their thumbs when they forget who’s lining their pockets. AIPAC has achieved disproportionate success because they’ve been smarter than most lobbyists – and because there really isn’t a competing lobby anyway. They’ve been brilliant at using relationships within government and the media to get face time, and when they do get it, they’ve been very persuasive at making their case that Israel is not only a kindred “democracy” worthy of support, but that it is an indispensable ally in shaping the Middle East into a stable, pro-American region. Which is a pretty tough sell, you have to admit! It sure seems like everything is going to Hell in a hand basket BECAUSE of Israel. But they’ve managed to convince most everyone (and who knows, maybe they’re right) that as bad as it is now, it will be infinitely worse for America if Israel is chased into the sea, as Arabs will coalesce around Arab Nationalist causes and use their great, black, underground pool of resources to blackmail us into submission. And, they argue, no one here understands how to protect Israel like Israelis – particularly Likud party Israelis. They’ve also managed to convince politicians that ignoring their advice will lose the Jewish vote, even though a majority of American Jews don’t buy the Likud line and are much more inclined to accommodate a Palestinian state and give up occupied territories. Like I said, they’re very, vey good at what they do. But they’re no Dr. No operation, like some people seem to think.

Barack Obama’s criticism of Carter’s attempt to open a dialog with HAMAS, only reveals how the junior Senator totally caves into AIPAC’s agenda. Thinking people of conscience will have to decide whether to vote for the lesser of three evils.

Goes to prove what Ariel Sharon ostensibly told Shimon Peretz, when Peretz worried that israel’s actions might hurt US/Israeli relations. Ariel who is still in a coma was reported to have respondeed ” dont worry about America we control them in the government and in the press”.

Its not just sad to hear Schorr and others like him. Its just plain disgusting. But then with dual citizenships one has to wonder whether Schorr and others like him are truly Americans.

On Thursday, NPR’s All Things Considered featured a commentary by Daniel Schorr suggesting that Carter be indicted under the Logan act, a law forbidding private citizens from “negotiating” with foreign powers. Apart from containing important factual errors. the commentary failed to distinguish between talking as a private citizen and pretending to represent or speak for a nation, which Carter has not done. Schorr implied that although Carter has good intentions, he is perilously close to being a traitor. It was a shameless piece of propaganda

It is truly sad to see even the ‘alternative’ media singing the same old song.

While Carter is castigated and accused of being antisemititc there are one or two realities that must be faced.

1] The Palestenians aint gonna go anywhere. They have been there for ages; they are there now and will be there in the future.

2] The establishement of the state of Israel was made possible by two terrorist gans [the Stern Gand ang the Irgun Zvai Lumi] that drove out 700,000 Palestenians into refugee camps mostly in Lebanon. Those folks cannot remain and will not remain forever dispossesed from their lands and homes.

3] Either the powers that be; the US and her only preferred democratic ally in the region accomodate the injustices done to the Palestenans in a civilized manner or in time the only solution would be for the Palestenians to continue to become adept at modern killing techniques like their tormentors and give back in response what they have been getting for years.

insulting and fantasizing about what supposedly the Creator orally promised real estate to a priviliged few can only prolong and increase hatred and misery between essentially two semitic people.

Carter’s efforts may to a large extent be considered as doing Israel more of a favor than to the Palestenians whether they are called Hamas, Fatah, PLO or just plain human beings who have been caught in a dilemma not of their own chossing.

Its time to do the right thing[s]

...either vote Libertarian, or write in Ron Paul. You don’t have to hold your nose and choose the lesser of three evils, friend. I have steadfastly refused to do that since 2000; starting with that election cycle, I’ve voted Libertarian.

As for the two big parties, Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber, I say, “A plague on both their houses!”

Of course the administration is going to flay Jimmy Carter.  The entire diplomatic policy of the Carter Center is a repudiation of the neocon policy of giving anybody we disagree with the silent treatment (which reminds me of the attitude of a petulant spoiled child).  Of course having Carter in the news at all reminds everybody of the Camp David Accords, the longest lasting success of any American President in the mideast ever.  It reminds everybody of how little Bush has accomplished in twice as long a time, so of course they are going to dismiss it.  It also undermines the goal of Rice’s mideast push, which is becuase there is no way a lame duck administration can get something accomplished by the end of this year to instead give the illusion of forward progress, so future spinners could say wow we would have peace in the mideast if only Bush’s time hadn’t run out.  (it the same goal behind ‘the surge is working’)  But Carter reminds them that real progress was attainable all along simply by applying real diplomatic leadership.

I knew well in advance that Hillary Clinton and John McCain will be shamelessly pandering to the Zionists. I even think they might be card-carrying members of Christian Zionists.

But my great shock and disappointment is with Obama, in whom I saw earlier a hope to be free from the Zionist control. Now I find to my greatest disappointment that he is not really different; a sad reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same if not get worse. Tiny Israel controlling the politics of this sad great USA is beyond the simple logic normal people use to measure things and put them into perspective.

Now I know I am a vote less citizen since I refuse to vote for the least of three evils!

It’s called statesmanship.  Don’t bet on seeing it from any of the three candidates currently offered.

If the next president wanted to spruce up our image in the world a little bit, he/she wouldn’t send Bill and George on the road.  He’d send Jimmy.

Carter bungled his presidency, but his downfall was that he tried to be honest with the American people.  As another poster pointed out, had we listened to him way back when, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in today.

Given that, i doubt that we’ll listen to him now.

By the way, wasn’t the Bush administration talking to the Taliban before 9/11/01?

The British said they would never negotiate with the IRA because it was a terrorist organization and for many years they refused to until they finally realized it was the only way to peace in Northern Ireland.  It takes people like George Mitchell and Jimmy Carter to get these things moving.  They are way ahead of other so-called statesmen in knowing the simple truth that in conflict resolution you are going to be negotiating with your enemies not your friends.

Yet, down the road they will be praising w and his administration for all the accomplishments they achived and especially how ‘unwavering’ w was in his ability to keep our economy strong and keep the rest of the world in line with the elites needs and wishes while everyone is standing in a soup line.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was as big a push to carve w & dick’s faces on Mt. Rushmore.

There is only two kind of world we live. “A world of haves, and have-nots,A world of violence, and non-violence,Jimmy Carter chooses the method of,“Constructive Engagement”,engaging both sides,hoping to find a middle path, called, “ENLIGHTENMENT.”

Carter brokered the only lasting peace accord in the region.
The rest of the US politicians are too busy kissing AIPAC butt to even make a serious attempt, and don’t have Pres. Carter’s credibility.

The neocons really just want a military solution with all Palestinians blown up or gone and afraid to return.

Carter wants what we should all want.

Peace in the middle east.

Jimmy Carter kicks ass. We will have peace!