The Policies of Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

1. The Policies of Jimmy Carter(1977-1981) By Victoria Coddington

2. Who Is Jimmy Carter? • Born October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. • Graduating class of 1946 from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. • After seven years as a naval officer he entered state politics in 1962. • In 1970 h was elected Governor of Georgia. • Announced candidacy for President in 1974 and won the election in 1977. Before Candidacy

3. Camp David Accords Who was involved? Camp David Accords Backstory Egypt and Israel been at war since Israel’s founding in 1948, and the latter had occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War of 1967. War broke out in 1973. The accords had their origin in Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem on November 19-21, 1977to address Israeli government and Knesset on peace. • 17, September 1978 • Israel and Egypt signed two agreements. • Negotiated by the Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat under the mediation of U.S. President Jimmy Carter at the government retreat in Camp David, Maryland.

4. How was Carter Involved? • After twelve days of mediation by Carter, Sadat and Begin concluded two agreements: 1. Phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula and that region’s full return to Egypt within three years of the signing, and right of passage for Israeli ships through the Suez Canal. 2. Israel to gradually grant self-government and/or autonomy to the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip and to partially withdraw its forces fro those areas in preparation for negotiations on their final status of autonomy. • The peace treaty was signed on March 26, 1979. • The treaty formally ended the state of war that existed between the two countries, and Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula in stages. The treaty also established normal diplomatic relations between the two countries. • These provisions were duly carried out, but Israel failed to implement the provisions calling for Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza areas. In 1977 peace negotiations started between Israel and Egypt. When a deadlock ensued, Sadat and Begin accepted President Carter’s invitation to a meeting on September 5, 1978.

5. Iranian Revolution • Before the Revolution • Between 1953 and 1963 much poverty remained • Gap between rich and poor grew • Talk of Oligarchy • Shah, Muhammad Reza • Shia clerical establishment • Pahlavi dynasty • Rise in secularism • Power influenced by Shia scholars decreased • Shah allied with secularists in conflict with Muslims • Shah increased ties with US • Agreement with a western oil consortium • Some saw US as taking place of British. • Muslims formed the Fedaiyan-e Islam • Worried about the opinions of ultra-conservative Muslims • Support form some clerics • AyotallahRuhollah Khomeini • Offended by early 1960s when Shah gave himself the authority to initiate legislation.

6. Iranian Revolution • 1954 Shah launched effort to modernize Iran economically and socially • Landlords and clerics were opposed to reforms • Khomeini issued a fatwa against reforms but was ridiculed. • Khomeini was arrested on June 5 caused rioting. Shah declared martial law. • Khomeini was later exiled, but continued attacks on Shah. • 1977 Jimmy Carter • Carter became President • Human rights were in foreign policy • Carter Administration • If Iran did not improve its human rights record, aid, including military assistance might be terminated. • October 1977 • Khomeini’s brother was killed

7. Jimmy Carter and the Iranian Revolution • The Crisis • November 4, 1979 • Mob of young Islamic Revolutionaries overran the US Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 60 Americans hostage. • Vowed not to release the hostages until the Shah returned for trial. • Carter’s Response • 17th November Khomeini released female, African American, ad non-US citizens would be released. • 53 hostages remained. • Carter’s Response Continued • Military action was too risky, so he froze its assets in the US. • Desert One • April 11, 1980 tried to retrieve hostages but had to abort due to malfunctioning helicopters. • Hostage’s Release • September, 444 days later, Khomeini decided to end the matter. • Released in 1980 when Ronald Reagan won his landslide victory in November.

8. SALT II • The Interim Agreement 1972 • Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms was to have a five year duration • Freeze number of strategic ballistic missiles • Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM’s) • Submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM’s) • SALT II • negotiations started in late 1972 and continued for seven years. • June 18, 1979, in Vienna, Brezhnev (Soviet premier) and President Jimmy Carter signed the treaty. • What was SALT II? • Set more specific regulations on different missiles. • Limits set on number of strategic launchers, and the various types of missiles. • No more than 2400 weapon systems. • President Carter • SALT II sent to Senate to be ratified • Due to tensions between the two countries, Carter pushed the treaty aside. • Treaty was never ratified.

9. Relations With the Soviet Union • Carter and the Soviets • Ordered a massive five-year defense buildup that the Soviets found provocative. • Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to quash a Muslim-based rebellion outraged the U.S. • Arms control talks between Moscow and Washington. • Both signed the SALT II treaty, but Carter withdrew it. • Carter cut off grain sales to the Soviet Union and ordered a boycott on the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. • Most of the public considered this to be more punitive towards swimmers and runners than Soviet leaders • Carter’s response only reinforced his weak image.

10. Speech on Afghanistan • Origin- January 4, 1980 by President Jimmy Carter. • Purpose- To inform the public of the occurrences happening in Afghanistan. Also to inform what the policy of trade was with the Soviet Union. • Value- Further continues Carter’s “play it safe” attitude. • Limitation- Since the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in late December the information was not accurate for the time period.

11. Works Cited • "American Experience: TV's most-watched history series.." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general- article/carter-hostage-crisis/>. • Balilies, Gerald. "Miller Center." American President: Jimmy Carter: Foreign Affairs. Rector and Visitiors of the Univerisity of Virginia, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://millercenter.org/president/carter/essays/biography/5>. • Balilies, Gerald . "Miller Center." Speech on Afghanistan (January 4, 1980)-. Rectors and Visitors of the University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3403>. • "Camp David Accords." Camp David Accords. C.T. Evans, 27 Dec. 2011. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.<http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his135/events/campdavid78.htm>. • Murad, Lindsey. "The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. The Cold War Museum, 30 Apr. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. <http://www.coldwar.org/articles/70s/SALTIandII.asp>. • Smitha, Frank. "The Iranian Revolution." The Iranian Revolution. Frank E. Smitha, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch29ir.html>.