Jimmy Carter states: "There was no reason for us to become involved in Iraq recently. That was a war based on lies and misinterpretations from London and from Washington, claiming falsely that Saddam Hussein was responsible for [the] 9/11 attacks, claiming falsely that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. And I think that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair probably knew that many of the allegations were based on uncertain intelligence ... a decision was made to go to war [then people said] 'Let's find a reason to do so...I think the basic reason was made not in London but in Washington. I think that Bush Jnr was inclined to finish a war that his father had precipitated against Iraq. I think it was that commitment of Bush that prevailed over, I think, the better judgement of Tony Blair and Tony Blair became an enthusiastic supporter of the Bush policy."

"Former President Jimmy Carter called the American invasion of Iraq one of the country's worst foreign policy blunders, and predicted it may take a dozen years to bring stability and democracy to the region. 'I was strongly against going in unilaterally,' said Carter, who was in Columbia on Monday to sign copies of his new Revolutionary War novel, 'The Hornet's Nest.' 'I thought it was a serious mistake, maybe the worst mistake in foreign policy that our country's made in many years. But now we are there, we have to support our troops there and pray that we can cut down on our casualties.'"

"Washington, March 26 [1979] -- After confronting each other for nearly 31 years as hostile neighbors, Egypt and Israel signed a formal treaty at the White house today to establish peace and 'normal and friendly relations.' ... President Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel put their signatures on the Arabic, Hebrew and English versions of the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country. President Carter who was credited by both leaders for having made the agreement possible, signed, as a witness, for the US... ''We have won, at last, the first step of peace -- a first step on a long and difficult road,' Carter said. Later, at a state dinner, Mr. Begin suggested that Mr. Carter be given the Nobel Peace Prize, and Mr. Sadat agreed. All three leaders offered prayers that the treaty would bring true peace to the Middle East and end the enmity that has erupted into war four times since Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948."

"Former President Jimmy Carter said he had been working quietly with the UN to find a peaceful solution to the standoff between the US and Iraq, but vowed to support U.S. troops if war did break out. Carter, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, said he and other officials from his nonprofit Carter Center had spent several months trying to bolster U.N. efforts to disarm Iraq and prevent a war in the Middle East. 'That effort has not been successful,' the Democrat told participants at a forum in Atlanta to discuss campaign finance reform in the Americas. 'The only comment from the Carter Center now and in the future will be to support our troops overseas and to pray that the casualties among them and the innocent people of Iraq are minimized,' Carter added. Carter, who earlier this week described a war against Iraq as 'completely unnecessary,' had favored strengthening the U.N. arms inspection process as the best way to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein."

President Jimmy Carter has worked tirelessly for world peace - and for an enlightened American foreign policy. Most recently, he called for a peaceful solution in Iraq. "The most obvious answer is a sustained and enlarged inspection team, deployed as a permanent entity until the United States and other members of the U.N. Security Council determine that its presence is no longer needed... The cost of an on-site inspection team would be minuscule compared to war, Saddam would have no choice except to comply, the results would be certain, military and civilian casualties would be avoided, there would be almost unanimous worldwide support, and the United States could regain its leadership in combating the real threat of international terrorism." Send your thanks to The Honorable Jimmy Carter, The Carter Center, 1 Copenhill Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307-1406, or Fax (404) 331-0283.

Jimmy Carter yesterday spoke out against war as he accepted the Nobel peace prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Carter reminded the U.S. just how high the real cost of war fought at a distance can be. "War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children." Carter asserts that the globe's most serious problem is the "growing chasm between the richest and the poorest people". The former Cold War president noted that there is now only one superpower, the US, with military spending larger than the next 15 countries combined, and an economy three times the size of its nearest competitor. The US was right never to assume that "super strength guarantees super wisdom. Global challenges must be met by an emphasis on peace, in harmony with others, with strong alliances and international consensus."

"Former US president Jimmy Carter, this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, called on Friday for disarmament by the United States, which has taken the lead in urging such countries as North Korea and Iraq to destroy their weapons of mass destruction. 'One of the things that the United States government has not done is to try to comply with and enforce international efforts targeted to prohibit the arsenals of biological weapons that we ourselves have,' Carter said on CNN's Larry King Live...He also called for more stringent efforts by Washington 'to reduce and enforce the agreement to eliminate chemical weapons, and the same way with nuclear weapons.' Carter, who will receive the Nobel prize on December 10 in Oslo, Norway for his efforts in seeking negotiated settlements to head off violent conflict, also noted that the United States gives only one one-thousandth of its gross national product for international assistance, while the average European country gives four times as much."

"Former US President Jimmy Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for what presenters cited as decades of.... 'untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.'...Asked if the selection of the former president was a criticism of Bush, Gunnar Berge, head of the Nobel committee, said: 'With the position Carter has taken on this, it can and must also be seen as criticism of the line the current U.S. administration has taken on Iraq.' The committee made reference in its citation to current world events that may see the United States take military action against Iraq. 'In a situation currently marked by threats of the use of power, Carter has stood by the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international cooperation based on international law, respect for human rights and economic development,' the Nobel Committee said."

President Jimmy Carter writes: "Fundamental changes are taking place in the historical policies of the United States with regard to human rights, our role in the community of nations and the Middle East peace process -- largely without definitive debates (except, at times, within the administration). Some new approaches have understandably evolved from quick and well-advised reactions by pResident Bush to the tragedy of Sept. 11, but others seem to be developing from a core group of conservatives who are trying to realize long-pent-up ambitions under the cover of the proclaimed war against terrorism. Formerly admired almost universally as the preeminent champion of human rights, our country has become the foremost target of respected international organizations concerned about these basic principles of democratic life. We have ignored or condoned abuses in nations that support our anti-terrorism effort, while detaining American citizens."

Jimmy Carter may be the only living Democrat who can speak his mind without coming under furious assault from the Republicans and the right wing media. Carter believes passionately in human rights at home and abroad, in curing diseases that afflict the poor, on bringing peace and democracy to war-torn countries, in arms control, ending the death penalty, reducing global warming, and much more. And Carter doesn't just talk - he devotes his (and Rosalynn's) full energies to these causes, 51 weeks a year. Hey Jimmy - wanna run again in 2004?

Conservative slimeballs are using the energy price-gouging "crisis" to throw mud at President Jimmy Carter, who was forced to deal with a real energy crisis from the OPEC boycott and the Iran-Iraq war. Well, ol' Jimmy doesn't like dirty politics, and he's standing up for the important accomplishments of his administration. You go, Jimmy!