Deseret News | Carter defends his handling of Iran hostage crisis

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Carter defends his handling of Iran hostage crisis

No doubt the Iranian | 8:00 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

hostage crisis was a factor in Carter's election loss to Reagan. But the poor economy, and Carter's perceived response to it was a big factor as well. I respect Jimmy Carter's work with Habitat for Humanity, he's done a lot of great work there. As president of the United States though, he was a disaster on a number of fronts.

carter hater | 8:28 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

He did nothing because thousands would have died......GREAT. Now hundreds of thousands have died due to terrorism that was not answered during his tenure. Let the blame fall where it may

Knowwhat | 8:43 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

How can he defend something he can't remember, I don't think he can even remember being President.

Comments continue below

Earl | 9:09 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

Carter did the right thing. That was his biggest problem. He did the right thing with the economy, too. He didn't object to Paul Volcker, head of the Federal Reserve, who said the only way out of the recession was to raise interest rates. That resulted in the necessary correction, but Carter got blamed for that. It was actually Johnson, Nixon and Ford who created the economic problems of the 70's, Carter had the courage to do what had to be done. Carter made the hard decisions that made Reagan look like a genius for doing almost nothing.

MAYHEM MIKE | 9:27 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

I applaud Carter's restraint in not attacking Iran and killing civilians. However, if the hostages had been killed by their captors, would he have had the guts to retaliate? Sometimes, a country' people have to "pay the price" for the bad decisions of their leaders. How else will the people have the courage to change the regime?

Mark B | 9:31 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

Having to deal with revolutionary Iran was slow and deeply frustrating, no question. Still, the crisis ended without major violence and with the hostages' safe return. Trying to blame Carter for current Middle East problems is ridiculous. And please, could we avoid the complete fiction that the hostages came home because of threats against Iran by Reagan?

Koker | 9:32 a.m. Nov. 16, 2009

Speaks for itself.

Robert Watson | 3:09 p.m. Nov. 16, 2009

Iran's American diplomat hostage taking was not the only thing that kept Carter from a second term. How about, refusing to come to the aid of the pro democracy Shah of Iran, then after the Shaw was deposed - the Iranian take over of a US naval ship; long gas lines, poor economy, high taxes and super high interest rates at 20%?
Lately he lost what little respect we had of him when he participated in a standing ovation clapping, and grinning like an idiot, the inane Michael Moore Film; courting the peace prize, and having the press follow him around as he hammers nails. For those of us who remember well his Presidency - it was goodbye, good ridence.
And by the way, the Iranians let the hostages go because they knew they would be dealing with a different president who would not put up with their agressive nonesense.

Lute | 4:31 p.m. Nov. 16, 2009

I've heard the late Shah of Iran described many ways, but "pro democracy" ain't one of them.

Robert's free to dislike Carter, but he's not free to pretend to know what the mullahs representing Iran's new government were thinking in early 1981. Reagan didn't know, either, searching the landscape in later years for the "moderates" to whom he could sell missiles. A little remedial spelling work wouldn't hurt Robert, either.

Too bad George Bush | 4:57 p.m. Nov. 16, 2009

did not have the same brains as Jimmy. Too bad George Bush did not have any brains at all. What an 8 year nightmare that was!

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2 photos

Michael S. Elmore, Associated Press

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, braves the heat near Chiang Mai, Thailand, Monday as he and others construct a home for Habitat for Humanity.

Gallery (2 photos)