Judith Apter Klinghoffer, writing at the History News Network, accuses Jimmy Carter of a "bold faced lie" in his interview with Der Spiegel.

In his recent interview with Spiegel Online, the self—righteous former president accused Israel of a "massive bombing of the entire nation of Lebanon." This is a bold faced lie Israel limited the bombing to Hezbollah controlled areas

She supplies an instructive map of Beirut showing how Israel picked specific targets, mostly in the Hezbollah—controlled areas.

Carter's "entire nation" claim could be half—heartedly defended in the sense of national sovereignty having been violated, and the fact that attacks were spread out. But the implication clearly is that the nation was virually destroyed, with no area spared. And that is so misleading as to qualify as a lie in my book.  

In my experience, the more intelligent and practiced the liar, the more use is made of tortured rationales for defending clearly misleading statements. Such people seek deniability while deliberately misleading.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Thomas Lifson   8 18 06