Jimmy Carter -- the useful idiot's idiot

Unless you've been living in a Taliban cave over the last week, or so, you know that former President Jimmy Carter went to Syria to meet with the leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal. Now, he was told by State not to do this meeting, twice. He was told by Israel not to have this meeting. And the former tool-in-chief went ahead and held the meeting anyway. On the second day of talks, Hamas showed how serious they were about peace when they sent suicide bombers into Israel, killing 13 people. You want to know how much of a brain-dead tool Jimmy Carter is? Much more than any of us thought:

Former President Carter said Monday that Hamas — the Islamic militant group that has called for the destruction of Israel — is prepared to accept the right of the Jewish state to "live as a neighbor next door in peace."

But Carter warned that there would not be peace if Israel and the U.S. continue to shut out Hamas and its main backer, Syria.

The Democratic former president spoke in Jerusalem after meeting last week with top Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal, and his deputy in Syria. It capped a nine-day visit to the Mideast aimed at breaking the deadlock between Israel and Hamas militants who rule the Gaza Strip.

"They (Hamas) said that they would accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, if approved by Palestinians and that they would accept the right of Israel to live as a neighbor next door in peace," Carter said. ...

Really Jimmy? You sure about that? You sure you checked the fine-print and everything? We only question the whole "peace in our time," Neville Chamberlain channeling here because Hamas has said something very different than that:

"We agree to a (Palestinian) state on pre-67 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital with genuine sovereignty without settlements but without recognizing Israel," Mashaal told reporters. ...

Carter said Hamas promised it wouldn't undermine Abbas' efforts to reach a peace deal with Israel, as long as the Palestinian people approved it in a referendum. In such a scenario, he said Hamas would not oppose a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

Carter said Hamas officials, including Mashaal, agreed to this in a written statement.

But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri in Gaza said Hamas' readiness to put a peace deal to a referendum "does not mean that Hamas is going to accept the result of the referendum."

Such a referendum, he said, would have to be voted on by Palestinians living all over the world. They number about 9.3 million, including some 4 million living in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.

Carter said Hamas rejected his specific proposal for a monthlong unilateral cease-fire.

Oh yes, and Jimmy can wave this in everyone's face, too. It seems he "negotiated" the release of Gilad Shalit, but it comes with a price:

But Carter said Hamas has promised to let a captured Israeli soldier send a letter to his parents.

Direct communication between Israel and Hamas could facilitate the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who has been held in Gaza for nearly two years.

Israel agrees in principle to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Schalit, but after back-and-forth talks through Egyptian intermediaries, has approved only 71 of the specific prisoners that Hamas wants freed, he said.

So, according to Jimmy, Hamas agrees to abide by a referendum that would entail getting the opinion of all 9.3 million Palestinians around the world, yet Hamas comes out and says they won't necessarily abide by the referendum regardless of the outcome. In addition, Israel has to bend over and take it again to get their soldier back that was kidnapped; an act that sparked the hostilities Israel engaged in in 2006 with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Looking at this deal from the outside, Jimmy just got punked. It was bad enough that Hamas didn't start the negotiations in good faith. After all, continuing hostilities when you're negotiating isn't exactly clean pool, old boy. Then Hamas basically comes out and tells the world screw what he says and screw what we agreed to. We're going to keep fighting Israel. And Hell no we won't recognize their right to exist.

Way to go, Jimmy. You get the Idiotarian of the week award on Monday. Few tools could accomplish that, but you took the cake.

Also, I'd like to address a question that has been bandied about by our associates on the 'Net, and that is can the US government do anything to Jimmy Carter for this three-ring circus h created? The answer is yes and no.

In 1799 Congress passed a law called the Logan Act that forbade any citizen from executing foreign relations/negotiations without approval. Technically what Carter did violates that act. Negotiations between Hamas/Palestinians and Israel, if we are the intermediary, is done through State. When Carter announced his plans, State told him twice they'd prefer he not go. They didn't tell him he was forbidden to go. Had they done that, and he had gone anyway, then he'd be in trouble. Because they didn't, he technically can't be arrested and charged with violating the Logan Act. So, again, the answer is yes he could feasibly be charged, but the charge won't stick because he didn't technically violate the Act itself.

However, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), has asked Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to revoke President Carter's passport for his Hamas stunt:

“Former President Carter has acted in contradiction of international agreements to isolate Hamas. He has acted in defiance of both United States policy and international policy. His actions reward terrorists, lend support, and provide legitimacy to their belief that violence will eventually get them what they want."

Will this happen? Probably not. This administration seems content to act with no backbone when it comes to Democrats sticking their thumbs in it's eyes. They didn't force the issue of a polygraph for Sandy Berger, who's own plea deal demanded he have one. They didn't condemn Nancy Pelosi's visit with Assad in Syria. They didn't do anything to David Bonior and Jim McDermott for their visit to Iraq in the run up to the second invasion. They just really don't care to uphold the laws and integrity of the administration currently in power. So, no, we doubt Carter's passport will be revoked, and we sincerely doubt he will be charged with any crime.

But the tool is on the record. And that record is hardly a stellar one. It won't enhance his non-existent legacy, and he's not winning friends by injecting himself into issues that are none of his concern.

Publius II