Jimmy Carter and the Palestinians

By Thomas Lifson

Jimmy Carter and his peculiar attitude toward the Palestinians have taken another whuppin', this time at the hands of one of the most provocative and brilliant columnists in the English speaking world, a man who writes for the Asia Times under the pseudonym Spengler. I don't always agree with him, but I always find his thought-provoking columns worthwhile.

Ummah News Links and Arutz Sheva call our attention to Spengler's Asia Times piece entitled "Jimmy Carter's Heart of Dorkiness."

Jimmy Carter's timing is dorky, as always. The same sanctimonious ineptitude that made him the least successful president in US history prompted him to wager the remains of his reputation on advocacy for the Palestinians, precisely when the Palestinians have shown themselves to be their own worst enemies. [....]

It is easy to dismiss Carter as the most egregious dork in US politics. He nearly lost the Cold War, and nearly destroyed the US economy. By the most objective measurement of failure, namely margin of loss in a failed bid for re-election, Carter stands at the absolute bottom of the list of all US presidents. In 1980 he lost to Ronald Reagan with 49 electoral votes to Reagan's 489. The next-worst performer, Herbert Hoover, had a stronger showing against Franklin D Roosevelt during the depths of the Great Depression in 1932 (49 electoral votes to FDR's 472).

As is not uncommon for Spengler, the column is ambitious, in fact breathtaking, and offers insights that would never occur to me. Along the way, President Bush is not spared, and Joseph Conrad's insights on the human condition as well as the American Civil War play prominent roles.

This one is a must-read. You probably will find many points to question, as I did, but Spengler likes to provoke thought, and he succeeds.