I think Carter's ramblings are appealing to lib publications not because of his status as a former president, but because he is ruthless when it comes to criticizing the Bush administration.
In the New York Times, "Pariah Diplomacy":
A COUNTERPRODUCTIVE Washington policy in recent years has been to boycott and punish political factions or governments that refuse to accept United States mandates. This policy makes difficult the possibility that such leaders might moderate their policies.
...On the way home from monitoring the Nepalese election, I, my wife and my son went to Israel. My goal was to learn as much as possible to assist in the faltering peace initiative endorsed by President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Although I knew that official United States policy was to boycott the government of Syria and leaders of Hamas, I did not receive any negative or cautionary messages about the trip, except that it might be dangerous to visit Gaza.
Translation: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a liar.
Carter explains:
We met with Hamas leaders from Gaza, the West Bank and Syria, and after two days of intense discussions with one another they gave these official responses to our suggestions, intended to enhance prospects for peace:
•
Hamas will accept any agreement negotiated by Mr. Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel provided it is approved either in a Palestinian referendum or by an elected government. Hamas’s leader, Khaled Meshal, has reconfirmed this, although some subordinates have denied it to the press.
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When the time comes, Hamas will accept the possibility of forming a nonpartisan professional government of technocrats to govern until the next elections can be held.
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Hamas will also disband its militia in Gaza if a nonpartisan professional security force can be formed.
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Hamas will permit an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants in 2006, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, to send a letter to his parents. If Israel agrees to a list of prisoners to be exchanged, and the first group is released, Corporal Shalit will be sent to Egypt, pending the final releases.
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Hamas will accept a mutual cease-fire in Gaza, with the expectation (not requirement) that this would later include the West Bank.
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Hamas will accept international control of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, provided the Egyptians and not the Israelis control closing the gates.
In addition, Syria’s president, Bashir al-Assad, has expressed eagerness to begin negotiations with Israel to end the impasse on the Golan Heights. He asks only that the United States be involved and that the peace talks be made public.
Does this sound like Carter is summing up his negotiations with Hamas?
"Intense discussions."
"OFFICIAL responses to our suggestions, intended to enhance prospects for peace."
Carter goes through them, point by point. It's to reconcile that with what he said last week.
From an interview with Reena Ninan on FOX News:
NINAN: One Israeli official actually said to me, 'We don't know whose behalf he's negotiating.' Why are you doing this? And would you have appreciated someone undermining your administration?
CARTER: First, I'm not undermining anything. And secondly, I'm not negotiating. I have no role to play as a mediator or a negotiator. I'm just here representing myself and the Carter Center, no one else, with no authority at all. I don't want any authority. And my decision was just to talk to people who must be involved in the final peace agreement, who are excluded at this point from any discussions leading to a peace agreement.
WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?
Carter just laid out Hamas' OFFICIAL responses to his suggestions.
But don't forget, he wasn't acting as a mediator or a negotiator.
No. Of course not.
Carter does have a lot in common with those "political factions or governments that refuse to accept United States mandates."
Pariahs of a feather flock together.
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