Carter Rips Bush on 'Axis' Label

AP | 2/21/02 | AP

[anniegetyourgun]

ATLANTA- Former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday criticized President Bush's labeling three countries an "axis of evil," saying the statement was "overly simplistic and counterproductive."

Carter said Bush's statement seriously jeopardized progress made with North Korea, Iran and Iraq in recent years.

"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement," said Carter, speaking at an Emory University conference on the impact of terrorism.

Carter also said the growing gap between the rich and the poor continues to be the world's greatest challenge, although he noted that many terrorists falsely claim to be among the world's destitute.

"We are very concerned now about terrorism. Osama bin Laden is not poor, he's very rich - and the people who committed those horrible acts on Sept. 11 were not poor," he said.

[anniegetyourgun]

"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement,"

It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency....

[Cable225]

Former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday criticized President Bush's labeling three countries an "axis of evil," saying the statement was "overly simplistic and counterproductive."

Kind of like your presidency, Jimbo.

Go away.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

LOL!! Jimmy Carter weighs in on foreign policy. Too funny.

[mombonn]

Memo to cartbilly: I sat and cried the night I learned you won the presidency. I was right.

Stick to pounding nails.

[Keith in Iowa]

W-G-A-S what Mr. Peanut has to say...

wgas... as in who gives a ****.... Not me...

[anniegetyourgun]

'Twas the first presidential election in which I was eligible to vote. The choices weren't great, but I knew I couldn't vote for Carter. My mom was duped though....

[nocommies]

no *&^%!! "PROGRESS" in recent years with iraq? where does this jerk get his news? why couldnt reagan be healthy and well enough to be the former president that slaps clinton and carter right back down into their highchairs, and reminds them to keep their bibs on?? any guesses as to what reagan would call these three countries? id imagine axis of evil would be one of the nicer things hed have to say, and G-d bless him for it!!

[Howlin]

Who?

[The Old Hoosier]

This is a parody, right?

[JamesWilson]

"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement,"

It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency....

Still doing it. The Mullas still run Iran - but not for long!

[Robert_Paulson2]

What HE calls "progress" we call treason.

Did his administration make "progress?" Apparently so, as I just redefined it in the context of HIS administration.

We may be entering a very long period of purging our ranks of the communist traitors on the left side of tyranny.

I think Jimmy is trying very hard to make that list.

[One More Time]

And Jimmy Carter was such a master of Foreign affairs. < /sarcasm >

[Wonder Warthog]

"It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency...."

Must disagree--we haven't yet fully repaired all the damage that bozo caused (and indeed may NEVER repair it all).

[Howlin]

"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement," said Carter

From the very man who gave us the phrase Moral Equivalent Of War. (MEOW)

[demkicker]

Just when we least expect it, up pops Peanut Brain. Why is it that the 2 worst presidents in American history crave the limelight?

[Joee]

So a peanut farmer makes waves. Carter who??????

[anniegetyourgun]

FOREIGN POLICY DUNCES ON PARADE:

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, listens during an interview at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002. Albright criticized President Bush's description of Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil," saying it is wrong to link the three countries together. "I think while there are problems with each of those countries they don't necessarily belong together in that kind of rhetorical flourish," Albright said Thursday in addressing University of Michiganstudents. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Former President Jimmy Carter delivers the closing conference address during the Kenneth Cole Leadership Forum on the impact of terrorism on community and social change at Emory University's Glenn Memorial Auditorium, Thursday Feb. 21, 2002 in Atlanta. Carter criticized President Bush's labeling three countries an "axis of evil," saying the statement was "overly simplistic and counter-productive." (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

[Willie Green]

It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency....

Jimmy-Bub was actually pretty benign compared to Klintoon.
The damage that jack@$$ inflicted is irreparable.

[JamesWilson]

In related news, Ronald Reagan made a brief reappearance to (falsely?) announce that we would begin bombing in 5 minutes.

[Eva]

I don't think that there is much room for criticism of the axis of evil, now that the story of what was done to Danny Pearl is out. Who can deny that these people are truly evil, the devil incarnate.

[ao98]

The Carter Center
453 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 331-3900
carterweb@emory.edu

[Paul Atreides]

Jimmy, those who can, do and those who can't, criticize. Go build yourself a retirement home and shut that toothy mouth of your's.

[SolitaryMan]

It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency....

I think were still recovering.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Someone needs to put a hammer in his hand & tell him Osamma needs a house built.

[JamesWilson]

Just when we least expect it, up pops Peanut Brain. Why is it that the 2 worst presidents in American history crave the limelight?

OK. Match Game. If Carter's Peanut Brain, then Clinton's Peanut ________? [insert music.]

[Paul Atreides]

What a picture! Jimmy Carter: the world's first semi-sentient liver spot.

[doug from upland]

Suck peanuts, Jimmy. Build houses for people but don't pretend your views matter.

[OldFriend]

LOLOLROTF.....foreign affairs expert!!!!!

[Sci Fi Guy]

I think former failed Presidents should be banished to an island somewhere surrounded by sharks. Make those GAY SHARKS that will violate them before they eat them if they ever try to leave to give an interview.

So what do you have against gay sharks??

[buzzyboop]

big bump on your statement... that umbrella's big enough for the entire Demonrat party!!

[fish hawk]

Only the failures or do nothing presidents criticize. After all the screw ups that Nixon did, at least he kept his mouth shut, went to China a couple of times, won their respect and won mine. Oh if the Dems could do thus.

[OldFriend]

To say nothing of all the scum he left buried in the State Department.....Albright, Berger, Halperin, Lake, among others.....all the dregs of the america haters left there to do their dirty deeds and undermine national security for years and years until slick willie brought them back up to the surface.

[PogySailor]

Stick to building houses Jimmy.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

reading this article has tripled my misery index

[ewchil]

Yeah, he was sure tough on terrorism way back when...

[Diogenesis]

An axis of evil that sold out the United States and its people.

[montag813]

Hmmm. I guess Jimmy thinks the Bible's contrast of good and evil is "overly simplistic and counterproductive". Let's review...

1. Kim Jung Il starves to death his own people by the hundreds of thousands, in order to escalate his military expenditures.

2. Saddam used deadly nerve gas on his own people.

3. Iran spends billions financing, training and arming people to kill women and children.

This is evil, Peanuthead. What could be simpler than that? The only "progress" to be made with such men is to defeat or kill them. Period.

[jwalsh07]

Email Jimmy the Conqueror

[Jonathon Spectre]

Who, said what?

Still bitter about stagflation, Jimmuh?

[tubebender]

"overly simplistic and counterproductive."

That discribes Carters housing program. Build one house at a time while the US gains 3 million people a year...

[Argus]

"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement,"

It took us years to repair the damage done by the Carter presidency....

Right. Iran wouldn't even be in the axis of evil if Carter hadn't completely bungled the hostage crisis and made the US look like a pitiful, helpless giant. Thank God this moron can only talk about foreign policy, and not actually do anything about it anymore.

[alloysteel]

"...overly simplistic and counterproductive."
Nice choice of words, Jimmy. Way too much complexity out there, and maybe far too much production of the wrong kind of thing. Some production must be curbed, especially when there is diminishing payoff. I LIKE short answers, works just fine on bumper stickers and T-shirts. sometimes when the thinking is pared back to its essentials, and maybe there isn't very much content, the answer should be short and simple.

[FreePaul]

Jimmy Carter..... saying the statement was "overly simplistic and counterproductive."

This from the nut who's "Axis Of Evil" included a frightened rabbit swimming near his row boat.

[TLBSHOW]

Now we have to clean up his mess too, after leaving our people there for most of his Presidency. Shut up Jimmy do nothing, fool!

[sasquatch]

Where's my Billie Beer?
How are you?

[aruanan]

Carter also said the growing gap between the rich and the poor continues to be the world's greatest challenge....

And Carter says Bush is simplistic.