Jimmy Carter: Bad Presidents Make Bad Diplomats

Jimmy Carter has a long history of self promotion. Perhaps this is because no one else will promote the oft failed efforts of Jimmy Carter. In what appears to be an almost desperate move to gain attention Jimmy Carter has once again launched himself as a freelance diplomat. This time Carter has completely ignored warnings from the State department to not meet with the leadership of the terrorist group, Hamas, choosing instead to arrange meetings directly with the terrorist leader responsible for hundreds of deaths in Israel, including many innocent men, women and children.

Secretary of State Rice specifically warned Carter not to meet with the terrorist leader, warning Carter that the U.S. did not want to send any message, real or implied, that the U.S. was recognizing the terrorist group.

Carter ignored the warning of the State Department giving the impression that he knew better than the State department how to deal with the situation in the Middle East., an implication Carter's track record would not support if one recalls the Iranian hostage situation.....

When confronted by the Press as to why a former president would ignore an urgent request from the state department Carter denied any such request was made. In an interview with NPR Carter said the State Department never attempted to dissuade him from holding this meeting. On hearing this Secretary of State Rice stated emphatically that the administration had explicitly warned Carter against meeting with the leadership of Hamas saying, "I just don't want there to be any confusion," Rice said. "The United States is not going to deal with Hamas and we had certainly told President Carter that we did not think meeting with Hamas was going to help further a political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians."

Adding to the confusion, Carter announced that his meeting had been a success and that Hamas was now willing to recognize Israel as a State and was willing to sign a peace accord to that effect. However shortly after these words were spoken by Carter a Hamas spokesman denied any such agreement, and that the group would never recognize the Jewish State.

In the end Carter received no concessions from Hamas, but defended his trip as 'worthwhile'.

Many political observers see the only beneficiary of Carter's meeting is Hamas as it now claims 'unofficial' recognition by the United States, and in so doing create a rift between the U.S. and Israel relations.

During several days in which Carter met with Hamas Secretary Rice took many questions from International reporters as to whether Carter's visit was an indication that the U.S. was conducting 'back-door' diplomacy with Hamas and weakening its' stand with Israel. Rice reaffirmed the administration's position that the U.S. would deal only with the elected Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, as his West Bank government has made honest attempts to broker peace and create an independent Palestinian state.

It appears Carter's mission was a complete failure, both to gain peace and to enhance his image.

Considering Carter's free lancing 'peace efforts' in North Korea in which, after awarding the horrible dictator Kim Sung Ill with nuclear reactors, years of supply of fuel oil, sophisticated computers and technology ,he claimed to have eliminated North Korea's nuclear development efforts .(We all know how that turned out ).....we should be grateful for his lack of 'success'.

Carter's 'confusion" concerning denials of warnings he received from the State department and his announcement of 'success' in the face of complete failure may help explain his current state of mind and his inability to realize he is no longer relevant.

It is sad, but true.

Please Mr. Carter, retire quietly.