Right Wingers Now After Jimmy Carter

Liberals and moderates and even large numbers of conservatives have to wonder what is the problem with the American far right? The far right, through Ann Coulter recently attacked some of the widows of 9/11 because they dare to question what the Bush Administration has told them. Now they're attacking Jimmy Carter because he knows more about the Middle East than they do. Let's see, the far right has attacked liberals, gays, blacks, old people, immigrants, nonChristians, liberal Christians, moderate Christians, large numbers of women, scientists, poor people, old Europe, the French, the Dixie Chicks, war veterans and numerous other people for one reason or another.
Here's part of what Jimmy Carter said in his Washington Post article:

The Middle East is a tinderbox, with some key players on all sides waiting for every opportunity to destroy their enemies with bullets, bombs and missiles. One of the special vulnerabilities of Israel, and a repetitive cause of violence, is the holding of prisoners....

(snip)

This stratagem precipitated the renewed violence that erupted in June when Palestinians dug a tunnel under the barrier that surrounds Gaza and assaulted some Israeli soldiers, killing two and capturing one. They offered to exchange the soldier for the release of 95 women and 313 children who are among almost 10,000 Arabs in Israeli prisons, but this time Israel rejected a swap and attacked Gaza in an attempt to free the soldier and stop rocket fire into Israel. The resulting destruction brought reconciliation between warring Palestinian factions and support for them throughout the Arab world.

Hezbollah militants then killed three Israeli soldiers and captured two others, and insisted on Israel's withdrawal from disputed territory and an exchange for some of the several thousand incarcerated Lebanese. With American backing, Israeli bombs and missiles rained down on Lebanon. Hezbollah rockets from Syria and Iran struck northern Israel.

It is inarguable that Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks on its citizens, but it is inhumane and counterproductive to punish civilian populations in the illogical hope that somehow they will blame Hamas and Hezbollah for provoking the devastating response. The result instead has been that broad Arab and worldwide support has been rallied for these groups, while condemnation of both Israel and the United States has intensified.

So far, Jimmy Carter is simply telling it like it is. But here's where he may have pushed the average right winger's buttons along with irritating the sensibilities of the incompetents in the White House:

A major impediment to progress is Washington's strange policy that dialogue on controversial issues will be extended only as a reward for subservient behavior and will be withheld from those who reject U.S. assertions.

The secret desire, or maybe not so secret desire of right wingers, is that they wish the rest of America and the rest of the world would be 'subservient' to their wishes. Such fantasies ignore a number of things such as 200 years of democracy, the US Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, etc, etc. The overwhelming majority of Americans don't do 'subservient' these days; nor does the overwhelming majoritiy of the world. Jimmy Carter has hit it right on the nail.