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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: geode00 who wrote (195295)	8/6/2006 9:55:45 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 281500

Carter: Bush hurts prospects for peace ______________________________________________________________ Saturday, August 05, 2006 By Ed Golder The Grand Rapids Press mlive.com President Bush has pursued an "erroneous policy" that has fostered violence in the Middle East, said former President Jimmy Carter, who brokered the historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. "In my opinion, maybe the worst ally Israel has had in Washington has been the George W. Bush administration, which hasn't worked to bring a permanent peace to Israel," Carter said Friday during a stop in West Michigan. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were here as part of a fundraiser for their son, Jack Carter, who is seeking a U.S. Senate seat in Nevada. The $500-a-person event, attended by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, was held at the Plainfield Township home of Brent and Diane Slay. The Slays are longtime friends of the Carters and financial supporters of their humanitarian work through the nonprofit Carter Center. The event occurred as tensions mounted between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Carter thinks the United States should work for an immediate cease fire between the factions, and the world community should concentrate on a long-term solution that would allow Lebanon to control its own territory. But Carter is uncertain if Bush can pull it off. "It depends on whether world opinion is strong enough to get the administration to change its erroneous policy, which has been to encourage the continuation of attacks on both sides." In 1978, Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David to set a framework for Middle East peace. He views his efforts there as part of a long line of presidents -- including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton -- who tried to negotiate peace in the region. George W. Bush has broken with that tradition, he said. In addition, Carter called the Iraq War "unnecessary" and "unjust" and said the United States should get out soon. "In my opinion, we should make every effort now to withdraw American troops from Iraq," he said. "I would say certainly begin a major withdrawal no later than the end of this year." Jack Carter, a Las Vegas investment consultant who moved to Nevada in 2002, hopes to unseat first-term Republican Sen. John Ensign. The younger Carter is traveling with his parents to fundraisers throughout the Midwest, including in Chicago. Jimmy Carter thinks his son and other candidates could return control of the Senate to Democrats. Voters are disenchanted with Republican leadership in Congress and the White House, he believes. "I think in the last six years it's been too much of a subservient relationship in the entire Congress between Congress and the White House," Carter said. "And I think this is mirrored in public opinion poll results that we've seen in the last few months. There's been a constant loss of support, not only for President Bush but for Republicans." As for who should carry the Democratic Party's mantle as a presidential candidate in 2008, Carter declined to offer a specific name. But the person should have two characteristics, he said. "They have to be compatible to the South. And they have to be compatible with families that go to church," said Carter, an evangelical Christian. "I think if we can add that on to what we had with (John) Kerry in the past, I think we'll have a winning combination." ©2006 Grand Rapids Press