Carter Defends Handling of Hostage Crisis

Associated Press ^ | 11/16/09 | MICHAEL CASEY

[Baladas]

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Nov. 16) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Monday that he had no regrets about his handling of the Iran hostage crisis more than 30 years ago, saying he didn't attack the country as his advisers proposed because thousands of people would have died.

Islamic militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, and seized its occupants. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.

Carter acknowledged that his failure to bring the hostages home — including a botched rescue mission in which eight U.S. servicemen died — led to his election defeat to President Ronald Reagan in 1980. The hostages were released on Jan. 20, 1981, just minutes after Reagan was sworn in as the new president.

"I don't have any doubt that was the main factor in my defeat," Carter told reporters in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, where he was helping build houses for Habitat for Humanity. "Obviously, if I had rescued the hostages or they had not been taken, I would have been re-elected."

Carter said one proposed option was a military strike on Iran, but he chose to stick with negotiations to prevent bloodshed and bring the hostages home safely.

"My main advisers insisted that I should attack Iran," he said. "I could have destroyed Iran with my weaponry. But I felt in the process it was likely the hostages' lives would be lost, and I didn't want to kill 20,000 Iranians. So I didn't attack."

[Godwin1]

This jerk has “no regrets.” But the The scores of Americans who were harassed abused, threatened with death for 444 days have enough “regrets” for all of us. And the families of the eight brave serviceman who died in Carter's half hearted “don't hurt any Iranians” rescue mission have regrets every day of their lives. What a self-absorbed, thoughtless fool!

[Joe Boucher]

This shallow fool played mumbly peg for over a year while our embasy staff were held hostage.
Ronald Reagan was in office less than a day and they were released.
Mr. Carter is garbage. Just like this elephant eared marxist p.o.s.

[seanmerc]

Second. Worst. President. Ever.

[RobbyS]

He was avoiding the big decisions, rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. etc. From what I have read, Harry Truman had the opposite problem, He would have dropped the a-bomb on the Chinese in December, 1950, but “cooler” heads prevailed on him. This is, the Brits and French who were scared to death that the Red Army would move since they, too had the a-bomb. That’s why Stalin launched the invasion of South Korea. He didn’t think the US would react. Truman had a lot of faults, but even though he was practically a blind man, he was a damn good artillery officer, and he never lost that mind set. In 1941, he was still a colonel in the guard and he asked General Marshall for a commission.He says that Marshall told him, “Harry, you are too damned old.” I think Marshall missed a bet, there.

[lionheart 247365]

......... and the Gipper showed the world how to get their freedom after 444 days of Jimma Carter dithering .

[mrsmel]

That's what I thought when I read that delusional sentence-he'd like to blame it all on the hostage situation and conveniently ignore the whole economy and that "misery index" thing. What was that question the talking heads asked when Clinton was running for re-election? "Are you better off now that you were 4 years ago"? I dare them to ask it when Hussein runs for re-election.

[Defiant]

Never thought I’d miss Jimmy Carter.

[clintonh8r]

Relax, Jimmuh. You’re no longer the “Worst. President. Ever.”

[Laserman]

Jimmy Carter is a tool. The worst president ever, and even worse ex-president!

[reagandemocrat]

Jimmy’s decision 30 years ago has led directly to the FT. Hood terrorist.

[Oldpuppymax]

Leftists NEVER apologize for betraying the honor of the US.

[VeniVidiVici]

[votemout]

That was far and away number 1, but the inflation rates didn’t help him much.

[RaceBannon]

I probably wouldn’t be here had Cater’s mission succceeded, the backlash after the pounding we weere going to give them would have been enormous

But, I have no love lost for Carter. I am glad he finally tried, but he is such an idiot and a traitor.

[Bulldawg Fan]

Jimmah Cata opened the door to islamic facists, turned the world upside down to this day and has no regrets. Figures.

[RaceBannon]

Carter totally abandoned the Shah

http://www.rescueattempt.com

[BatGuano]

Please excuse me but I will not even be “sort of sad” when that jerk kick the bucket. It will be noted the in the same manner that Ted Kennedy’s death was, “sort of elation”!!! He is a waste of air and space.

[Reeses]

When Carter began his term, Iran was a friend and military ally. Carter failed badly, turning Iran into an enemy and terrorist incubator.

[rwa265]

Oh, no, no, don’t say that. As horrible as zero is, neither he nor anyone else can make me miss Jimmah.

[Defiant]

Obama is so bad even Carter looks better to me. At least Carter was an American. Jimmah was the most leftist President up to that time. He was, thankfully, very incompetent, and so, as bad as he was, he was unable to do as much harm to us as someone dedicated to ending the reign of America as a free country might. Carter was so bad that another term might have saved the Soviet Union. Obama would have purposely allowed the Soviets to win. Small difference, but a difference nonetheless.