The Carter Doctrine. The 'conservatives' never mention this. Why?

Question

The 'conservatives' always like to dump on Jimmy Carter, but it was Carter that actually began the process of bringing down the old USSR via the Carter Doctrine. I can well image the beating I'm going to take for bringing this up.

Answer 1

The Carter Doctrine is actually considered by most (Republicans and Democrats alike... at least the intelligent ones) to be an extremely important doctrine and was the stepping stone for the Reagan Corollary (go look it up).

Carter was given a lashing for supposedly not having enough to back up this doctrine and as a result increased both the number in the Rapid Deployment Force (now CENTCOM) and the US naval presence in the Gulf. Reagan took this stance and raised the ante even higher, but to not give credit where credit is due is just another example of one side refusing to see anything good about the other side.

Believe it or not, Reagan did a lot of good things. Believe it or not, so did Carter. Now if that's not enough for me to get a beating as well, how about this... The reason the USSR fell apart had more to do with the internal turmoil and failing economy of the USSR than it did with anything the US (or its presidents) did. Reagan certainly nudged Gorbachev along, but this was more like nudging a rolling ball down a hill.

Note to Jeepers for his post: The Carter Doctrine was made in specific response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Answer 2

As a right wing conservative I admire President Carter's ambition and religious views. He was a good man, a God-fearing man, but just not tough enough for the job. Despite what people may say Jimmy Carter is an incredibly smart man, but he is a typical liberal in this sense. He is dictionary smart, but lacks fundamental leadership skills. I also think he is somewhat anti-Semitic.

The Soviets invaded Afghanistan under Carter's watch.
The Ayatollah Khomeini seized power in Iran and held Americans hostage for 444 humiliating days. There was no gasoline (and listen to the liberals complain now---even though they want to reduce carbon emissions and single-handedly save the environment).

Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher won the Cold War without firing a shot---without question. It seems to me the Carter Doctrine was "appease" and "play nice with the enemy" and hope they reciprocate. After the hostages were seized three aircraft carriers and a massive military buildup should have begun in the Persian gulf. Peace through strength.

Ronald Reagan's face belongs on Mount Rushmore.

As for the Republicans worshiping Reagan like gays worship Grace Jones---I am gay and have no idea who that is. Ronald Reagan was a remarkable President and a good man.

He was our leader, commander-in-chief, and deserves our respect. I just wish someone would revoke his passport.

Answer 3

Ahh, exactly what does the carter doctrine have to do with the Soviet Union ??

The Carter Doctrine:

Any attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.

Answer 4

"Carter's a dumb hick that stumbled into enough luck to land a job in the White House. "

That sounds like the current president.

Most people have never even heard of the Carter Doctrine. Most people do not know what a doctrine is. Many politicians only praise those who share their party's name.

Answer 5

As a retired teacher, who now substitutes in Middle School and High School Social Studies classes, I can tell you there are very few "regular" classroom social studies teachers who even discuss the Carter Doctrine in their classrooms. Most Middle School and High School students don't even know about the Truman Doctrine!

Today, the impetus in any Social Studies class, or in any other class for that matter, is the U.S. bias against Hispanics. Every Hispanic in the classroom is very verbal about "America", the "whites", the "blacks", as being "racist" against "Mexicans". The Hispanic community even considers the American Indian racist! Hispanic students enrolled in U.S. public schools continue to speak in "their" language, knowing teachers and administrators do not understand what they are saying. George Bush's Doctrine has been to allow the Hispanic population to infiltrate our public education system, with no regard to learning English. The No Child Left Behind Act, foisted upon the American Education system by Laura Bush, is one of the most ludicrous acts every passed.

Unless the No Child Left Behind Act is not renewed, our American Education system is in extreme danger.

Answer 6

you just want to irritate some people's unsettled nerves on here don't you, Jimmy Carter is almost the best topic to get people worked up on this site, I've done it many times,

Ask the question, "if you could say one sentence to jimmy carter what would you say, ask it between 5-7 pm pacific time. you'll be surprised.

Answer 7

Liberal rallies usually have a cause other than self-aggrandizing. Like the protecting the environment, preventing animal cruelty, and important social causes. A gathering of self-centered, self-aggrandizing so called conservatives is just too hard to for us Liberal compete with when it comes to getting the media to remind us all who the real fools are in the country

Answer 8

You are kidding, right? No one has ever even tried to give that do nothing president, Jimmy Carter, credit for taking down Russia & that includes the liberals. The entire world minus you has always given President Ronald Reagan the credit he earned for bringing down USSR.
You might want to reread the "Carter Doctrine" his usual big talk with no teeth. he could not even get our diplomats & soldiers out of the Embassy for 444 days. He did bring himself down & now Carter is a bigot.

Answer 9

Don't get too carried away.

It was Little Jimmy that just sat there while the Soviets and Cubans helped the Ortega Brothers Gang get established in Nicaragua.

It was Little Jimmy that just sat there while the CIA was turned into a bunch of office workers looking at satellite photos.

It was Little Jimmy that just sat there while the military floundered around in its post-Vietnam funk.

It was Little Jimmy that just sat there while... I could go on but you get the idea.

You see, this is why we liked Ronnie so much - he began the much-needed clean-up of the messes left by Elbee Jay, Tricky Dick, and Little Jimmy. And it didn't take all that long before things were pretty well squeaky-clean, did it?

The really cool thing was that Maggie was doing the same thing in Britain and, while the pain (read: whining and crying) was much worse over there, it didn't take the Brits very long either to realize that there really was a better way.

No, Little Jimmy will be remembered by history as a feckless president whose primary accomplishment was economic mismanagement second only to Tricky Dick's in the latter half of the 20th century. Can you say "13% inflation" and "19% mortgage rates" and not immediately think "Little Jimmy!"?

Answer 10

Be glad you''re on the Internet. They'll burn you at the stake for heresy! :)

The neocons have a real problem with Carter--he was strong on defense, and he was--and is --a real Christian. And you can see that in what he DOES--like Habitat for Humanity--its not empty posturing.

Carter is a reproach to everything the right wing is and does--and they know it. And hate him for it.