Hail to the Fallen Chief

A Tribute to Jimmy Carter’s Lasting Legacy

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, the 39th president of the United States, was arguably the country’s greatest ex-president. He focused more on doing good than on doing well. He helped build homes for those in need.

A Legacy of Peace and Progress

He played a major role in eradicating Guinea worm disease in many countries, which as recently as the mid-1980s infected millions of people who drank parasite-contaminated water. He observed countless elections around the world to ensure that the voting and counting were free and fair.

The Panama Canal Treaties

The Panama Canal Treaties in 1977 paved the way for a peaceful transfer of control of that vital waterway from the US to Panama in 1999. Nationalist-inspired violence was averted, and the Canal stayed open and operated as it always had. What made it all the more impressive was that Carter pressed ahead with the transfer, brushing aside unwarranted but strong domestic criticism of what his opponents portrayed as a giveaway.

The Camp David Accords

A year later, the Camp David Accords created peace between Egypt and Israel. The agreement set an important precedent, to be followed years later by Jordan and more recently by other Arab countries. The Camp David Accords didn’t bring peace to the Middle East – Syria never followed suit, and the Palestinian issue was allowed to fester – but it did eliminate the potential for a major attack on Israel from its neighboring countries, which had occurred in 1967 and 1973.

Normalization of Relations with China

January 1979 brought the full normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and the People’s Republic of China. Carter thus completed the process initiated by President Richard Nixon, and created the basis for a Sino-American relationship that hastened the end of the Cold War and led to China’s integration into the global economy.

SALT II and Defense Policy

The Carter administration also successfully completed negotiation of the second strategic arms limitation treaty with the Soviet Union (SALT II), which was signed in June 1979. This pact stabilized the nuclear competition between the two superpowers, helping to ensure that the Cold War stayed cold until its end a decade later.

Human Rights and Defense

Carter was committed to peace but was no pacifist. He adjusted to the geopolitical shifts following the Islamic revolution in Iran, which ousted the Shah and brought an anti-American regime to power in early 1979, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan later that year. Defense spending increased significantly. Sanctions were introduced. New military deployments were undertaken in Europe. The administration established what became the forerunner of Central Command, which coordinates US military forces in the Middle East, and articulated a doctrine in the president’s name that underscored US interests in the wider region.

Legacy and Criticism

Given this record, which also included espousal of support for human rights as a component of US foreign policy, why was Carter not held in higher esteem? One reason is that he suffered from the fate of many one-term presidents, who by being defeated are judged to have been unsuccessful. Such assessments are common but misplaced: both Carter and George HW Bush accomplished more in four years than many presidents have in eight.

Conclusion

As Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, notes, “The country and the world were better off for his presidency.” It is more than likely that Carter’s stock with historians will rise as time passes, and his record will be recognized as one of the most significant in US history.

FAQs

* What did Jimmy Carter do in his presidency?
+ He focused on peace and progress, eradicating Guinea worm disease, and normalizing relations with China.
* What was the significance of the Panama Canal Treaties?
+ It paved the way for a peaceful transfer of control of the Canal from the US to Panama in 1999.
* What was the Camp David Accords?
+ It created peace between Egypt and Israel, setting an important precedent for future agreements.
* Why is Jimmy Carter not held in higher esteem?
+ He suffered from the fate of many one-term presidents, judged to have been unsuccessful.