Carter’s Foreign Policy

[Image source: http://themiddleeastinterest.wordpress.com/category/nuclear-weapon/page/2/]

“Peace is the unceasing effort to preserve human rights . . . . A combined

demonstration of strength and goodwill.”

Carter’s emphasis on human rights brought notable

achievements, . . .

. . . but complicated the relationship of the United States with some nations.

(The United States led over sixty nations ina boycott of the 1980 Moscow

Olympics.)

Many people think the United

States should boycott the

Beijing Olympics in

2008, because of China’s support for genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

[Image source: http://secrettibet.rsfblog.org/archive/2007/03/07/beijing-the-first-unmerciful-olympics.html]

[Image source: http://donklephant.com/2007/06/09/should-we-boycott-the-2008-olympics/]

[Image source: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/amnesty_international_shooting]

Support for human rights

was the cornerstone of Carter’s

foreign policy.

“Our commitment to human rights must

be absolute . . . .We can never

be indifferent tothe fate of freedom

elsewhere.”

[Image source: http://brysonburke.com/mining_angola.html]

“Our country has been strongest and most effective when morality

and a commitment to freedom and democracy have been most clearly emphasized in our foreign policy.”

“Instead of promoting freedom and democratic principles, our government seemed to believe that in any struggle with evil, we could not compete effectively unless we played by the same rules or lack of rules as the evildoers . . . . When I announced my candidacy in December 1974, I expressed a dream: ‘That this country set a standard within the community of nations of courage, compassion, integrity, and dedication to basic human rights and freedoms.’”

Carter was committed to finding an ethical solution to the complicated

problems in the Middle East.

[Image source: http://www.jfjfp.org/backgroundC.htm]

Egyptian President Anwar Sadatmade a historic visit to Isreal to begin

negotiations with the Jewish state.

[Image source: http://www.knesset.gov.il/history/eng/eng_hist9.htm]

This opened the way for a summit betweenEgypt and Israel hosted by the United States at

the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

The resulting framework for peace became known as the Camp David Accords.

[Image source: http://ap.grolier.com/picturepopup?productid=gme&assetid=pr043&templatename=/article/picturepopup.html]

Israel withdrew from the Sinai peninsula in exchange for

Egyptian recognition

of the Jewishstate and the establishment

of peaceful relations.

[Image source: http://www.israelipalestinianprocon.org/bin/procon/procon.cgi?database=5-H-Sub-Q04.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=8&rnd=924.5088449506381]

Both Sadatand Begin

would later receive the

Nobel Peace Prize for

their efforts.[Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/1575195969/]

The Camp David Accords did not resolve all of the problems – the issue of Palestinian refugees being one of the most-pressing.

[Image source: http://tonykaron.com/2007/06/03/how-the-1967-war-doomed-israel/]

Carter’s diplomacy – a continuation

of Nixon’s shuttle diplomacy – has committed the

United States to remaining an

engaged partner, determined to

resolve the problems of the

Middle East. [Image source: http://www.wittyworld.com/editorial-political/middle.east.html]

The Arab-Israeli conflict today:

[Image source: http://www.science.co.il/Arab-Israeli-conflict/]

Under Carter, the United States stopped helping regimes that abuse human rights, such as

Nicaragua and Chile.

Carter proved the United States could deal fairly with smaller nations when he proposed in 1977 returning the trans-isthmian canal to Panama.

[Image source: http://www.orwelltoday.com/panamamoorerbook.shtml]

The Senate ratified the treaty by a

one-vote margin in

1978.

Even after returning full-control to Panama in 2000, the United States retains the right to intervene militarily to keep the canal open.

[Image source: http://www.photoatlas.com/pics02/pictures_of_panama_75.html]

Carter established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in January 1979.

[Image source: http://www.ihep.ac.cn/huitan/PRC-US.htm]

Carter also called for black majority-rule in the African nations of Rhodesia (present-day

Zimbabwe) and South Africa.

[Image source: http://www.smartindicators.org/pilots/southern_afr/Southern_Africa-Crises.htm]

He also called upon the Soviet Union and Cuba to stop interfering in the internal-

affairs of African nations such as Angola.

[Image source: http://error98.blogspot.com/2007/07/cuba-y-africa.html]

Carter attempted to capitalize on Détente by promoting arms-limitations negotiations with the Soviet Union.

[Image source: http://www.espionageinfo.com/Bl-Ch/Carter-Adminstration-1977-1981-United-States-National-Security-Policy.html]

Carter’sefforts were complicated

by his support of Soviet

dissidents.

[Image source: http://zenpundit.com/?cat=91]

The Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 threatened harmonious relations between the two superpowers.

[Image source: http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/afghanistan.htm]

The U.S.S.R. remained in Afghanistan in defiance of a United Nations resolution

calling for their withdrawal.

[Image source: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-magazine/issue26/02-title-en.asp]

In response, led by the United States, more than sixty

nations boycotted the 1980 Moscow

Olympics.

[Image source: http://www.davno.ru/soviet-posters/olimpiada80/]

In January 1979,a revolution led

by Muslim fundamentalists threatened the monarchy of

America’s Persian Gulf ally, shah

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi II of Iran. [Image source:

http://bss.sfsu.edu/behrooz/Pahlavi.htm]

Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi II fled into exile andwas replaced by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

[Image source: http://blogs.britannica.com/blog/main/2006/11/whats-really-behind-fundamentalism/]

In October 1979, the

United States allowed the

ailing shah to come to the America for

medical treatment.

[Image source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/618649.stm]

Outraged Iranians – violating the etiquette of international diplomacy – seized the American embassy in

Tehran on 4th November 1979.

[Image source: http://apps.michigandaily.com/blogs/thepodium/?p=199]

Some people today blame Carter for the loss of Iran,and how the Islamic republic that emerged has made

Middle East diplomacy more complicated.

[Image source: http://marknicodemo.mu.nu/archives/2005_10.php]

Fifty-two American citizens were held hostage for 444 days, being released the day Ronald Reagan was sworn-in as President of the United States.

[Image source: http://www.presidentreagan.info/images/first_inauguration.jpg]

CNN video almanac

• http://www.cnn.com/resources/video.almanac/1980/index.html

[Image source: http://www.logosjournal.com/davidson_election.htm]