Jimmy Carter: Unrest in Egypt 'earth-shaking'

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Former President Jimmy Carter says the political unrest and rioting in Egypt is an earth-shaking event and that President Hosni Mubarak probably will have to leave office.

The former president brokered a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1978. He calls the unrest the most profound situation in the Middle East since he left office in 1981.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported Carter's remarks to the Sunday school class he teaches at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.

(snip)
Carter said that as Mubarak's 30-year rule has continued, the Egyptian leader has become more politically corrupt.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110130/us-egypt-protest-carter/

---

(what he said)
President Jimmy Carter calls Egypt unrest 'earth-shaking event,' guesses Mubarak 'will have to leave'
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/01/30/1440662/president-jimmy-carter-calls-egypt.html

[ananda]

1. You know what would be a good idea...

.... to bring Carter back into the peace and reconciliation process in the ME.

He's such a great negotiator and peacemaker.

[cutlassmama]

2. That he was. Great idea!

[cal04]

4. Great idea

couldn't have said it better

[SkyDaddy7]

8. Hopefully the Mubarak regime will fall and...

Egypt does finally have true & open elections with Carter leading the election oversight.

[wisteria]

27. So if Mubarak falls now and the elections are in September do see peace until then

or grabs for power by other groups and the possibility that Egypt ends up with fundamentalists who hate America?

[EFerrari]

9. The problem is, he actually wants a solution, not an endless "process"

which is now a multi-national industry and sop.

[No Elephants]

12. +1

[Odin2005]

20. the "process" is diplomatic cover for Israel's ethnic cleansing of the Pals.

[ronnie624]

42. *

:thumbsup:

[leftynyc]

55. Oh brother

Israel is the only country in history that is so bad at ethnic cleansing the target population actually increases.

[Hutzpa]

16. No disrespect to Jimmy Carter

but I think it would be a bad idea, the world has moved on and going back to old
ways that work is not the future. No point in recycling old ideas, it was his
negotiation that kept Mubarak there for 30 years while the people were being oppressed.

Why not try something that has never been tried before, a new way forward, new negotiations
that benefits the whole of the Middle East including Israel.

[justiceischeap]

19. Actually, Mubarak actually vowed he would only serve 2 six year terms

When he stepped in to power. So, you can't say that Carter brokered this deal with the idea that Mubarak would become this corrupt. I watched the documentary about Egypt on Al Jazeera this morning about it and until he was appointed Vice President, he had no political ambitions, which was why Sadat appointed him. He felt there would be no challenge from Mubarak.

[Horse with no Name]

24. Of course you do realize that he is still involved in the ME?

And that he is one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject? And still very well respected in that part of the world--you know, the part of the world that didn't buy the lies or cost him his Presidency?

I don't think he would be accused of recycling old ideas--but the folks that propped up Reagan demonized him and many of the "younger" folks don't understand the nuance of what really happened.

It would greatly benefit our country if Carter stepped in. Of course, the corporatists that have OUR country by the throat wouldn't ever allow it--so it will remain just a speculation of "if only".

[Art_from_Ark]

47. When Jimmy Carter left office, Egypt's president was Anwar Sadat

Mubarak came in after Sadat was assassinated in October 1981. So I don't see what Carter has to do with Mubarak's 30-year reign.

[tavalon]

48. Carter said that he visits frequently and that the new Vice President

is someone he trusts. I trust President Carter. I find what he said highly interesting.

[LanternWaste]

56. Precisely what "old ideas" is Pres. Carter attempting recycle...?

Precisely what "old ideas" is Pres. Carter attempting recycle that are relevant?

[Hutzpa]

17. dupe - delete

[Horse with no Name]

23. Obama would never allow it

He is antithetical to everything Obama stands for.

With that being said...Carter is one of my true political heroes. He has shown more courage than any of the modern Presidents.

[Bigmack]

32. Carter is the ONLY presidential vote

that I'm proud of to this day. Don't know that he's exactly a "hero" to me, but almost ALONE of all the people I've ever voted for, I still have immense respect for him. Ms Bigmack

[stevenleser]

36. And Carter has praised Obama's ME policies

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/05/us-obama-mideast-carter-sb-idUSTRE5545K620090605

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hlthe2b]

3. Good to see Carter speaking out..

:thumbsup:

[Gregorian]

5. Good to have his perspective.

Wow.

[Bolo Boffin]

6. Thank the FSM we've got an adult in charge of our country

And not Angry Old Maverick and Snowbilly Snooki.

[MissDeeds]

7. Love Jimmy Carter

He's still speaking out and working to make the world a better place.

K&R

[Bragi]

33. Me too! And Rosalynn too! /nt

[remember2000forever]

10. IMHO A president without a personal agenda, Carter!

[Beartracks]

11. He really was our last citizen President, wasn't he?

Teaching a Sunday school class now? Nice. :patriot:

-----------------

[No Elephants]

13. He taught Sunday School whenever he was in Plains for a very long time.

"From a young age, Carter showed a deep commitment to Christianity, serving as a Sunday School teacher throughout his life. Even as President, Carter prayed several times a day, and professed that Jesus Christ was the driving force in his life. Carter had been greatly influenced by a sermon he had heard as a young man, called, "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"<15>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter

He's cut back now.




Photo of him teaching: http://www.plainsgeorgia.com/maranatha_church.html

Sunday School Schedule: http://www.nps.gov/jica/planyourvisit/sundayschoolschedule.htm

[tavalon]

49. I'm not sure history will show him to be a great President

but he is and will be seen as a very good person and a good diplomat. He is one of my heroes.

[No Elephants]

14. He probably did not expect that to hit the media. I can't recall anything else from his SS that has

[Safetykitten]

15. And when you think that it can't get worse, Jimmy Carter appears!

[madrchsod]

18. really? why is that?

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[liberation]

25. Oh, here come the "new" moderates

[hootinholler]

29. I have to ask

How does that make it worse?

-Hoot

[marmar]

30. .................

:boring:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

31. how old are you?

[jonnyblitz]

34. she's just a kitten! nt

[Forkboy]

37. Not surprised to see you reply that way.

[Bluebear]

38. Boo hoo. At least SOMEBODY is showing some leadership. nt

[grahamhgreen]

44. Things are getting better in Egypt - not worse.

[Le Taz Hot]

46. wtf?

:wtf: State your beef.

[Ignis]

51. Welcome to DU. We don't hate Democrats 'round here.

At least not non-DINOs like Pres. Carter.

[Odin2005]

22. JIMMY!

:D

[wisteria]

26. I agree he has to go, but not suddenly. They need fair elections in September and then ALL the

Egypian people get an opportunity to pick their new President.

[karynnj]

40. I doubt the people will wait until September

El Baradei spoke of a "government of salvation" and the army taking control to quickly prepare for elections. The problem with Mubarak staying and having the elections in September is that given that NONE of the elections have been remotely real - they never are when one candidate gets 97 % of the vote! - many will not trust they will get fair elections in September.

You can see that the US is straddling a line, but when Kerry, who says he is speaking just for himself - but who has strong connections to Obama - is speaking of the need for conversations among the Murbarak family about not ruling, it is very clear that they are hoping to allow him to graciously leave. (Listen to all the things Obama said - and listen to the things Kerry is saying - where he is speaking of Mubarak caring for his country etc - it sounds like the same type of message that Kerry gave Krazai when the issue was that he had to agree to a run off.

I do agree that the leader must be elected.

[Major Hogwash]

52. Oh hell, they aren't willing to wait until February!

El Baradei called for a million Egyptians to hit the streets in Cairo on Tuesday!
He said that they can't "undo what has been done, and that it is time for Mubarak to step down."

Christ, after 30 years you'd think Mubarak would be willing to step aside.
He's 82 fucking years old for Christ's sake.

[karynnj]

53. I agree with you

As to El Baradei - the right has one attack against him that makes me think even higher of him than I did after seeing him this weekend speak to the protesters.

Remember Al QaQaa - the KNOWN ammo dump in Iraq that the US failed to guard for months? It was El Baradei's report on it in October 2004 that made it an issue.

That was the munitions dump, where the IAEA had stored munitions that they found in Iraq. Until IAEA and everyone else left because Bush ordered everyone out before he invaded, these storage dumps were known and guarded. The US failed to secure them for months, instead securing the building with oil records. (Even on Fox - it looks bad - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,137159,00.html )

As JK said in 2004, this ammo found its way into the IEDs that maimed and killed "our kids". A newsstation - I think in MN - was able to validate that we did not secure them because they had footage shot there months before it was secured by an embedded reporter. As to JK, I was never more convinced that he was speaking from his heart in 2004, than I was when he spoke of the soldiers - and innocent Iraqis harmed by those IEDs.

If there would have been no OBL tape, the election would have ended with JK speaking - obviously from the heart and gut - about "our kids" being killed because of what he did not need to say was negligence - it was obvious to anyone who thought of it. It was responsible for that last surge Kerry had - that had it continued and had the OBL not pulled people back - would have led to a President Kerry.

[Major Hogwash]

58. Wow, that is an excellent point about that ammo dump.

I think that you also made a very good point about the 2004 election.
I was so involved with the JK campaign back then, that I thought Kerry had enough of a lead to win, despite that OBL tape of OBL's coming out.
On the Friday before the election on Tuesday, Kerry had a 7 point lead in most of the polls.

I couldn't figure out how all of the exit polls were wrong.
The first time in 50 years!
I read a lot of stuff that one fellow talked about concerning those exit polls, and he had more facts to back up his case than I had ever seen anyone back up on a forum ever before.

Then finding out about Ohio, how it was stolen by their attorney general Blackwell, I was in shock that something that large could be swept under the rug.
But, what the hell was I thinking?
They had already swept the missing WMDs in Iraq under the rug.

Then at Bush's White House correspondence dinner in 2004, with him faking to look for WMD's under the desk in the White House, was the most disgraceful thing I had ever seen any politician ever do in my entire life.
And yet all the correspondents just laughed.

There's a special place in hell for people like Bush.
And Cheney.
And Rumsfeld.
And Powell.
And Rice.
And Feith.
And Libby.
And Armitage.
And Wolfowitz.
And a dozen others from Bush's admin that pushed for the use of torture.

[craigmatic]

28. Carter was personal friends with Anwar Sadat. I'm guessing he never truster his successor.

[DonCoquixote]

39. Some of the Hillary fans will hate me

But there have been times where I really thought, instead of Hillary that Jimmy could have been a perfect SOS, this is one of them.

[True_Blue]

41. Absolutely!

He would make a great SOS!

[glinda]

43. Well we are ahead of Egypt because we hire them as corrupt in the first place. No waiting here.

[OneGrassRoot]

45. Interesting that he likes Sulieman.

I pay attention when President Carter speaks. This is good to know.

Thanks!

:hi:

[tavalon]

50. My thought exactly!

[cayanne]

54. Why is he bringing politics into Sunday School?

Isn't the reason churches aren't taxed is because politics are kept out?

:shrug:

[Prometheus Bound]

57. He teaches a Sunday School class to "visitors from across the country and globe."

This is about international events, not domestic politics.

[cayanne]

59. Thanks

[defendandprotect]

60. Was not Sadat equally corrupt in moving wealth into hands of the few?

US has supported both of them!

Carter is always a question -- like a musical instrument not properly tuned --

[avaistheone1]

61. k&r

Carter is right as usual.


:kick: