I don't think it's unfair to credit Jimmy Carter with helping set a precedent for the epidemic of hostage-taking by Islamofascists.
Here is Carter in conversation with Cokie Roberts today on NPR Morning Edition, starting at 6:09:
Jimmy Carter: I sent the Ayatollah Khomeini a message from me that if you injure a hostage, we will terminate Iran's trade entirely with the outside world and if you kill a hostage, we will take military action against your country. And I sent this message to Khomeini through, I believe, seven different channels, primarily the German government and the Swiss government and others to make sure he got the message. He never injured a hostage and he never threatened to kill a hostage as a response to that.Imagine if Carter had impressed upon Khomeini that the consequences for not releasing the hostages immediately would have been catastrophic (even if it were something short of "Send them all home tomorrow, or we will turn Qom into a glowing sandbox"). Instead, Carter encouraged Khomeini to flaunt and bargain over for the hostages for 444 days. I think it's fair to conclude that the Carter's weakness encouraged the spate of hostage-taking in Lebanon in the 1980s, which in turn seems to be the precedent for the hostage-taking in Iraq. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 22, 2004 02:09 PMCokie Roberts: Though he's convinced he had every right to launch a military attack, the President knew a strike would mean the death of the hostages, so he negotiated for their release
So, instead of taking direct action that may have resulted in the deaths of the hostages in 1979, we have seen the rise of islamofascism that has cost thousands of lives every year in the last 25 years.
Yeah, that worked out real well Jimmy. Thanks for helping.
Posted by: Frank Martin on October 22, 2004 03:09 PMHere's something that would put a quick end to this hostage-taking nonsense:
What are the demands? That some Islamic detainees are to be released? Very well. Put these very detainees that the hostage-takers are asking for on the gallows. Make sure it's well publicized. Say to them, "It's your move. The fate of these detainees rests in your hands. Release the hostage, or these detainees swing."
I wouldn't expect too many more hostage situations.
Posted by: Mike Kole on October 22, 2004 03:48 PMNo one mentioned the botched "rescue mission" that occurred under Carter in April, 1980? Doesn't sound like someone was 100% sure about negotiations being the only way to go.
Posted by: xire138 on October 27, 2004 06:27 AM