Bush administration urges Carter not to meet with Hamas

**Midnight Mike** · 2008-04-10, 05:41 PM

The Bush administration has urged former President Jimmy Carter not to go forward with plans to meet with the leader of Hamas, the State Department said Thursday.

The council of world leaders, known as "The Elders," was launched by Mandela. The group was to visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia on a peace mission.

"U.S. policy is that Hamas is a terrorist organization," McCormack said. "We don't believe it is in the interest of our policy or in the in the interest of peace to have such a meeting."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... ith-hamas/

**jran225** · 2008-04-10, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Midnight Mike

"U.S. policy is that Hamas is a terrorist organization," McCormack said. "We don't believe it is in the interest of our policy or in the in the interest of peace to have such a meeting."

And this is precisely the kind of policy that needs to change. It would certainly much more productive meeting with our "enemies" than our allies.

Greetz,
-Omar S.

**PhilDernerJr** · 2008-04-10, 07:45 PM

But when our enemies' only desire is that Western civilization be completely dismantled, and that we become Muslim or die, what could there possibly be to discuss?

**Midnight Mike** · 2008-04-10, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by jran225

And this is precisely the kind of policy that needs to change. It would certainly much more productive meeting with our "enemies" than our allies.

Greetz,
-Omar S.

The United States has offered to open talks with Hamas, only when they make changes to their charter that calls for the destruction of Israel.

**Matt Molnar** · 2008-04-10, 09:46 PM

Europe negotiated with Hitler. We even negotiated with the Taliban. Where did it get us?

**Lezam** · 2008-04-11, 12:26 AM

There will not be peace in the middle east in our lifetime, it just cant and wont work. No point in even trying anymore, its just a waste of money at this point..

**bonanzabucks** · 2008-04-11, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by Lezam

There will not be peace in the middle east in our lifetime, it just cant and wont work. No point in even trying anymore, its just a waste of money at this point..

That region hasn't seen peace for thousands of years. They hated each other back then and it's carried on to today. I agree, no point to even try and waste our money. The only reason we bother is because of oil. But if it wasn't for oil, they would have wiped each other off this planet years ago.

**T-Bird76** · 2008-04-11, 08:47 AM

I'm not sure what good it will do by Carter meeting with them? Unless he can make them change their ways he has no power to promise anything on the U.S's behalf. If he wants to talk let him talk, its his choice, I just quesiton the good it wil do.

**Matt Molnar** · 2008-04-11, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by T-Bird76

I'm not sure what good it will do by Carter meeting with them? Unless he can make them change their ways he has no power to promise anything on the U.S's behalf. If he wants to talk let him talk, its his choice, I just quesiton the good it wil do.

It won't do anything other than legitimize Hamas. Arafat rose to the ranks of great world's statesmen by getting meetings with established statesmen, despite being a blatant terrorist. Hamas seeks to do the same, and scoring a meeting with a former U.S. President they take a giant step in that direction.

**adam613** · 2008-04-11, 11:19 AM

Except Hamas's goal isn't the destruction of western civilization; their goal is the eradication of the Jews. Their anti-Americanism would suddenly disappear if the US stopped supporting Israel (and by "support" I mean "refrain from nuking").

Jimmy Carter is (at best) notoriously sympathetic to anti-Semites, so his desire to legitimize Hamas is no surprise...

**Lezam** · 2008-04-11, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

Arafat rose to the ranks of great world's statesmen by getting meetings with established statesmen, despite being a blatant terrorist.

He won the Nobel Peace prize. Go figure...

**Tom_Turner** · 2008-04-12, 01:54 PM

The problem is Hamas is winning elections, and when folks choose to pray at the alter of Democracy simply because they are weak minded or the rhetoric suits ulterior motives and your opponents then win popular elections you have a problem.

Hamas is at least half legitimized in at least half of Europe (and possibly Australia?) as is.... Jordan keeps a lid on them out of a good sense of self preservation lest they be overrun with the lovely Palestinian people like Lebanon was.

Hamas certainly enjoy significant support in the rest of the Muslim world, and does anyone else really care?

There is no "peace process" and Hamas is sadly reflecting the will of the people.

Last time there was a peace process, oddly enough Jimmy Carter was the Commander in Chief of the USA.

What he can accomplish now that is not 100% at the expense of Israeli self preservation or self defense, I have no idea, but I won't lose sleep over him "legitimizing" Hamas. After all, we have to defer to China now in many instances, our good friends are the Saudi's, the Sunni Iraqi Sadamists are now our allies, etc etc...

Much ado about nothing...

T

**Midnight Mike** · 2008-04-14, 01:17 AM

Jimmy Carter Defends Meeting With Hamas

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080413/D9010UQ00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former President Carter said he feels "quite at ease" about meeting Hamas militants over the objections of Washington because the Palestinian group is essential to a future peace with Israel.

Carter, interviewed Saturday for ABC News'"This Week," airing Sunday, also said he would oppose a U.S. Olympic boycott and hopes all countries will join in the Beijing games.

He spoke from Katmandu, Nepal, where his team of observers from the Carter Center monitored an election that appeared likely to transform rule by royal dynasty into a democracy with former Maoist rebels in a strong position, judging by incomplete returns.