The Carter/bin Laden Connection

There is considerable buzz surrounding the revelation that the bin Laden Group donated $1 million to the Jimmy Carter Library. It is ironic, obviously, that after Michael Moore made the false claim that President Bush was somehow too cozy with the bin Ladens in his movie Fahrenheit 911, Moore attended the Democratic National Convention in company with Carter, against whom his accusation could have been made with far more justice.

The fact is, though, that such an accusation is silly as to both Carter and Bush. The bin Laden Group is the biggest construction company in the Middle East and is, as far as I know, a perfectly respectable company. Jimmy Carter would say that the Camp David accords were the crowning achievement of his generally-unsuccessful Presidency. There is no reason why Middle Eastern Arabs like the bin Ladens should not show their appreciation of President Carter by making a donation to his library. And there is no reason why the entire bin Laden family should be guilty by reason of its black sheep, Osama–who had, as I recall, some 50 brothers and sisters.

We’ve been highly critical of Jimmy Carter on a number of grounds, but this isn’t one of them.