Jimmy Carter is great

peacenotapartheid
Originally uploaded by nojam75.

Today, I've been hearing (NPR's Fresh Air) and seeing (CNN's Larry King Live) Jimmy Carter's interviews about his controversial new book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid. He admits that the title is purposely controversial.

Admittedly, I know nothing about the Middle East/Israel/Palestine dispute. However, it's always troubled me that the U.S. gives so much monetary, military, and political support to a country that seems to discriminate based on race and religion. The rationalization is that Israel is still better than many of the neighboring countries in the regions.

While I was watching the interview's closed captioning at the gym, a caller to Larry King asked about why not a single-state solution in which Palestinians were recognized as citizens and allowed to vote. Carter's recognized that Israelis would never agree to such a situation because, obviously, the Palestinians would vastly outnumber the non-Palestinian Israelis and take over, but I love that the question was asked and considered.

Contrary to the inept way his presidency is often portray by right-wingers, Carter strongly defends accomplishments and Clinton's Mid East peace accomplishments. It's reassuring to know that after almost six years of Bush, Jr., incompetence, there are still people who believe Mid East peace is possible.

Also, in one of the interviews Carter distinguishes the Bush presidencies as "Bush Senior" and "Bush Junior". I have never heard any other political figure use the senior/junior language. I always assumed there was some kind of unspoken rule against using this language, but Carter seems to use it.