Talking to ‘Terrorists’
A counterproductive Washington policy in recent years has been to boycott and punish political factions or governments that refuse to accept U.S. domination. This policy deters the ability of revolutionary or uncooperative leaders to moderate their attitude and demands.
A notable example is Nepal. About twelve years ago, Maoist guerillas launched an effort to modify or overthrow the monarchy and force changes in the nation’s political and social life. Although the United States declared the revolutionaries to be terrorists, The Carter Center agreed to help mediate the dispute among the three major factions: royal family, old-line political parties and Maoists.
Six months after the oppressive monarch was removed from power, a cease-fire agreement was consummated. Maoist combatants lay down their arms and the Nepalese Army agreed to remain in barracks.
Our Center continued its involvement and except for the United States other nations and international organizations began working with all parties to reconcile the dispute. Ultimately, the Maoists succeeded in achieving their major goals: abolishing the monarchy, establishing a democratic republic, and ending discrimination against untouchables and other groups whose citizenship rights were historically abridged.
After a surprising victory in the April 10 election, Maoists will play a major role in writing a constitution and governing for about two years. For the United States, they are still terrorists.
On our way home from monitoring the Nepalese election, my wife, son, and I were joined in Israel by former Congressman Steven Solarz, Robert Pastor of American University, and Hrair Balian, director of the Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution Program.
Our goal was to learn as much as possible about the region in order to assist in the faltering peace initiative being pursued by President George W. Bush and Secretary Condoleezza Rice.
Although we knew that official U.S. policy was to boycott the government of Syria and leaders of Hamas, we did not receive any negative or cautionary messages about our trip, except that it might be dangerous for us in Gaza (which we did not visit.)
The Carter Center had monitored all three Palestinian elections, including the one for parliamentary seats in January 2006. Hamas earlier prevailed in a number of municipal contests throughout Palestine, gained a reputation for effective and honest administration, and did surprisingly well in the legislative race.
As victors, Hamas offered to form a unity government with Mahmoud Abbas as president and to give key ministries to Fatah, including Foreign Affairs and Finance.
Hamas was declared to be a terrorist organization by the United Sates and Israel, and the elected Palestinian government was forced to dissolve. Eventually, Hamas gained control of Gaza, with its 1.5 million imprisoned Palestinians, and Fatah is “governing” the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Opinion polls show Hamas steadily gaining popularity. Since there can be no peace with Palestinians divided, we believed it important to explore conditions under which Hamas could be brought peacefully back into the discussions. (A recent poll of Israeli citizens, who are familiar with this recent history, showed 64 percent in favor of direct talks between Israel and Hamas.)
Similarly, Israel cannot gain peace with Syria unless the Golan Heights dispute is resolved. Here again, U.S. policy is to ostracize the Syrian government and to prevent bilateral peace talks, contrary to the desire of high Israeli officials.
We met with the leaders of Hamas from Gaza and Syria, and after two days of intense discussion with each other they gave these official responses to our suggestion, designed to enhance prospects for peace:
Hamas will accept any agreement negotiated by Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel provided it is approved either in a Palestinian referendum or by an elected government. The top leader, Khaled Mashaal, has reconfirmed this, although there have been media denials from some subordinates.
Hamas will when the time comes accept a proposal relayed through us from Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to form a nonpartisan professional government of technocrats to govern until the next elections can be held.
Hamas will also disband their militia in Gaza if a nonpartisan professional security force can be formed.
A letter will be forthcoming from Corporal Schalit to his parents. When/if Israel agrees to a list of prisoners to be exchanged and the first group are released, Schalit will be sent to Egypt pending the final releases.
Hamas will accept a mutual cease-fire in Gaza, with the expectation (not requirement) that this would later include the West Bank.
Hamas will accept international control of the Rafah crossing, provided the Egyptians and not the Israelis control closing the opening.
In addition, President Bashar Assad of Syria expressed eagerness to begin negotiations with Israel to end the impasse on the Golan Heights. He only asks that the United States be involved and that knowledge of the peace talks be made public.
Through more official consultations with these outlawed leaders, it may yet be possible to revive the stalemated peace talks between Israel and its neighbors.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (1977-81) is founder of The Carter Center, which advances peace and health worldwide.
Copyright © 2008 The International Herald Tribune
Jimmy Carter may well be the Last Sane Man Standing.
Keep talking Jimmy.
I hope that someone in the McCain camp will read this to John “Hamas’ biggest nightmare” McCain.
Finally an American Statesman stands up. I hope it’s not too late.
Hoa binh
The issue is a basic distinction between a punitive justice framework and a restorative justice framework. The Bush administration and its allies are the clearest case of the former that the world has seen, at least with the power to export its perceptions around the world with coercive force. The basic premise is that one side is right, the other wrong (the terms of evaluation vary, and can be as simple as “might makes right” ora as complex as religious belief systems). The wrong party has two options. Change to adopt the right view, or be punished (again, as simple as ostracization or as complex as annihilation). The opposing premise, that of restorative justice, sees all actors as parties with an interest in a certain type of social relationship. Their positions and expressed interests have met a barrier to compromise and that has generated conflict (as simpleas verbal argument, as complex as decades of grotesque violence). The issue, however, is not the rightness or wrongness of the persons, but rather the wrongness of the current relationship. One VERY important point is that this is not to be understood as justification for VERY wrong acts in the present. Acts of dehumanizing violence are not justified by legitimate needs. But they also do not negate the legitimacy of the needs. This is the compelxity that punitive justice fails to accept and prefers to ignore. The two are conflated. The failure of this conflation is obvious, however, since in most every violent conflict both sides can be vilified for acts that are rightfully labelled as horrific and unacceptable. The restorative approach seeks a way to disentangle the acts from the needs, and create a movement toward the building of a new relationship that responds to both parties’ (or multiple parties’) needs, or at least a viable compromise, thereby removing the perceived NEED for horrific acts of violence. The Bush people and their allies completely fail to grasp this complexity, fail to support it, and most likely consciously reject it, since it undermines their very clear policy of might makes right, which recognizes no legitimacy other than hegemonic power enforced through violence. Jimmy Carter should be, once again, applauded for his efforts to maintain a clear embrace of the more difficult, but ultimately more humane and productive course of action. He joins others like Desmond Tutu who have endured ridicule for not demonizing one part of a conflict, embracing the violent demands of the other side of the conflict, and giving up hope for building a society in which all humans, divided by class, race, history and ethnicity, have their needs taken seriously. Thank you President Carter, you are one of the few models of an American Statesperson of whom we fellow Americans can be proud.
Thank you Mr. President.
President Carter spends his post presidency in continued service.
GWB’s post ‘appointment’ goal is refilling his personal $ coffer.
How dare Jimmy Carter upset the neocons plan for world supremacy. God Bless Jimmy, God Bless!
beepriest …. wow, what a great piece. Probably the best thing I’ll read all day. I think I knew a lot of that, but its great to see it put so well to make sure my poor little brain gets it.
America has basically always tended towards punitive justice. The exception is probably just the sorts of small town sheriffs who’d work to resolve a conflict instead of just arresting people. But that’s as quaint and unrelated to today as the Andy Griffith Show.
Jimmy Carter, you are a candle in the darkness.
Here is a link to the International Institute for Restorative Practices
http://www.iirp.org/
There is a reason Jimmy Carter is a member of The Elders -
http://theelders.org/. He seems to be the only American willing to do what’s right and morally correct in these disputes. He has all of my respect in what he does.
Even though you are now 83, please stay alive for many more active years, Mr. Carter. Live to 100 or more! There are just too few sane voices for us to hear anymore and you are one of those few.
It is ironic, even though you have been attacked and villified repeatedly by pro-Israel factions, I really believe that you are the best friend Israel has in America right now.
Before I give my two cents on what Mister Carter had to say in this aticle I want to say the following first,
Mister Carter:
I have the utmost respect for you as a human being. You have shown great courage throughout your life and I commend you for that. In my opinion, you are arguably the most significant diplomat in 20th century USA History, with the added bonus of once being the President of the USA once upon a time. I beseech you to please be strong and I am praying for you. While you are taking huge backlashes for doing what a diplomat is by definition supposed to do; you are holding your head up high with dignity and I commend you for it.
What needs to be stressed is that Hamas, today, is NOT a terrorist organization. They are a legitamently elected political party. Hamas needs to be respected as such and Hamas does play a role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I think that this fact is important to remember.
I thought about a hypothetical situation here. Please bear with me:
What if China sends 50 million out of the 1.2 billion Chinese living in China to the west coast of the USA and then the official stance would be that China occupies the west coast of the USA. How would Americans respond? Fight back one may say? Ok…fine. BUT would those Americans fighting against the China resistance be considered “insurgents,” “militia men,” or “terrorists” in the eyes of the rest of the world?
Please think about this scenario Americans while being wrapped up in your hegemonic world.
If King George’s government and its successors (the King George we rebelled against) had had the same “don’t talk to terrorists” policy that our current King George has, we would still be a group of British colonies with terrorists trying to break away. Looking at the current state of this country perhaps that would not have been so bad.
Jimmy and the Carter Center need the support of every sane being left in the world. To suddenly have the voice of might working from restorative justice could be just the ticket to bring this bus around! It is my only glimmer of hope that the domestic and international nightmare of damage and loss caused by the GWB neocons being in control might be addressed within my lifetime. Go Jimmy, we love you.
Well Said Mr. Carter. But the truth remains that the US/UK/Israel axis does not want peace… If Israel and the US seriously wanted peace, they could have had it generations ago… instead, they chose to pursue their agenda of genocide and racism. I’d like to say History will judge them harshly but I’m starting to believe that there won’t be any history left to judge! The state of the world now is completely unsustainable and will explode into a raging inferno that will engulf us all.
beepriest;
Very well said, it’s a shame that bush only seeks the simple solution (kill ‘em all and let god sort them out).
Wouldn’t the Brits and the IRA still be fighting if they had not started to talk to one another? For years the Brits saw Sein Fein as the political wing of the IRA; a terrorist group. Howls of protest were heard back in the 80s when the leader of Sein Fein met with Reagan and other us leaders. In the end the Brits talked to Sein Fein, and now how often do the bombs go off in Belfast?
Jimmy Carter is probably the most intelligent and strong leader today…it is no wonder the media ,press and tv as well as our politicians that think they are leaders are all against him …he is the only real leader we have with any backbone to tell the truth…thank you Jimmy Carter… and Mr. Obama look at what a leader is supposed to be and stand up for what you know is right ….there are many Americans who want a president with brains and the guts to do the right thing… you can do it!!!
“There is a reason Jimmy Carter is a member of The Elders -
http://theelders.org/. He seems to be the only American willing to do what’s right and morally correct in these disputes. He has all of my respect in what he does.”
Thank you for The Elders link, cedross. I listened to the speakers and am grateful and comforted to know that this group will help guide this world.
Elders are what is needed in our culture. We have discounted our elders and marginalized them and we are paying the price. We no longer know our way and we no longer know whom to ask. In all of human history, it has been the elders who have provided support and guidance, and God knows we need them more than ever.
What’s more, we can all be elders. We can all mentor younger people through our daily actions. It really is up to us, the older generations, to start showing the younger ones that all is not lost as long as we talk to each other with respect and dignity and work together to find solutions toward a good future. Jimmy Carter does this, and I can think of no better role model.
A very nice article. President Carter is once again showing those who will see the simple fact that talking to people rarely causes as many problems as talking at them. Too bad the issue of “what makes people think that blowing themselves up is a viable alternative?” is not addressed as often or as well. If we could get to the root of *that* problem rationally and without too much bias, a lot of this old world’s problems might be put into a better focus.
The time when Jimmy Carter was president was the last time I felt really hopeful about the future of the world. I had differences with some of his policies, but I felt that after the assassinations of the sixties, after Viet Nam and Watergate, perhaps the United States had learned something and we were moving forward. Silly me. Then came Reagan and it’s really been downhill since then. I guess we really weren’t ready for an honest, rational government and still aren’t today. At least there are still people like Carter out there fighting in the face of adversity.
This article reveals who the REAL CULPRITS or TERRORISTS are? The US, UK, France and Israel do not want peace to exist in that region, so that they can continue to use this instability to further their agenda. Israel being the satellite country of the US and the Europe continue to oppose any peace initiatives from SANE PERSONS like Bishop Desmond Tutu and Carter. Israel prefers PEACE-BREAKERS like George Bush and Blair to be PEACE-MAKERS??????????????
Bush and Rice are on a fake peace mission in Palestine. their group makes too much money off war.
“I really believe that you are the best friend Israel has in America right now”
Amen to that. Israel apparently does not yet realize this, but it is the real truth. Blessings to Jimmy Carter- an amazing human being.
Namaste ~ your art work is always exceptional!
Jimmy Carter is using his religious beliefs, his political capital, his position as a statesman, and his wisdom, all to good effect. It’s good to see the usual clamor of arguments and cynicism here take a pause to give the man a standing ovation.
Jimmy Carter is a REAL Christian.
Every previous commenter thinks what carter did was just wonderful. Well, so do I. But he was no peacemaker when he was president. Makes me wonder–what happens to a man when he becomes President to force him into warmongering and oppression? I think Jimmy Carter is trying to redeem himself to make up for the propping up of vicious regimes in central America, etc. Which indicates that he is not a sociopath–his attaining the Presidency was, I suspect, a mistake.
Thank you, Mr Carter, for doing the right thing. Mwildfire, I am aware of Carter’s record in East Timor and Cambodia, inter alia, and it is shameful. But that was a long time ago, and if he is doing the right thing now we should praise it. If we waited for perfect people to do the right things we’d be in trouble.
beepriest, restorative justice has an achilles heel in that elites will simply declare a “right” to prefer punitive justice, a “right” to play “king of the hill” and a “right” to prefer “might makes right”, monopolize the markets, corrupt the governments, and enslave the people. The people have no more “right” to deny elites the spoils of their conquest than elites have to enjoy them.
Restorative Justice in seeking compromise inevitably will ask that the prey give up a few fingers for snacks to satisfy the predator. There really is no acceptable compromise in the class war (elites as predators, the people as prey). The elites must be brought completely down. In an ideal egalitarian society, after elitism has been fully snuffed out, the elites survive with equal rights and opportunities as everyone else. Contrast that with an ideal elitist society - full predation or slavery for the people. The leftist ideology fully upholds Kant’s Categorical Imperative, while the rightist ideology fully violates it. Ideas such as “balance” and “restoration”, and “compromise” make sense in an egalitarian society, but not in an elitist society. The act of predation must result in a forfeiture of rights.
Interesting discussion here, especially the offering from beepriest.
I join many others here in saying there are few people in Carter’s position with the courage and moral clarity he regularly displays. I wrote and told him so, and hope others will take the time to do that as well.
You might send a short thanks to Dennis Kucinich, too, while you’re at it.
I wrote in Dennis Kucinich on 4/22 here in Pennsylvania. I will not vote for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John McCain. They are all warmongers. Yes, Obama is a warmonger. He has threatened to bomb Pakistan in an attempt to kill Osama bin Laden. And if he is allowed to do so he will create even more “terrorists”. How would we feel if some rogue bull elephant of a country bombed us occasionally, whenever it felt some petty grievance. Wouldn’t we become “terrorists” hoping to do damage to that country? People need to read the Chalmers Johnson trilogy. We ARE bringing on the terrorism to ourselves by our treatment of other parties on this tiny globe.
A former president speaking the truth… outside the influence of the lobbyists. What an idea.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that this piece by Carter didn’t get any play in the MSM but instead appears in a foreign publication. Thank you, President Carter, for all that you are doing. For those who want to support his work, please give what you can to the Carter Center: www.cartercenter.org
People talk to Bush and Cheney all the time…
Until we value intelligence in our leaders we are doomed. Bush is president now because guys said they would like to have a beer with him back in 2000. Obama is starting to feel the heat of the American Imbecile. All those big words. What does he say? Go with the square jaw. Always a safe bet. The dog always goes back to its vomit.
fargokantrowitz: An astute observation.
I continue to be in awe of President Jimmy Carter—he reminds us all of what true leadership is and how far our nation has fallen from the standard he lives each day of his life. I just saw a great documentary on Jimmy Carter called Man from Plains. Netflicks has it for sure. Watch it and admire him all the more. It made me cry from sheer inspiration and gratitude for his presence on the planet. What a national treasure this man is, and may he live to be at LEAST 100.
Corpirate
TERRORISTS
RUN this Government
and
RUIN this Country.