Carter vows to help Kerry win November elections

Former US President Jimmy Carter said here Monday that he will do everything he can to help John Kerry, who is to be officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate this week, to run for presidency in November.

In his speech at the first day of the four-day Democratic National Convention, Carter recalled his experience of serving in the US Navy under two presidents, Democrat Harry Truman and Republican Dwight Eisenhower, and accused President George W. Bushof "initiating wars of choice" and misleading the country on issues involving national security.

"They (Truman and Eisenhower) knew the horrors of war, and later, as commanders in chief, they exercised restraint and judgment," he said.

Calling John Kerry as his "shipmate," Carter, who served as US president during 1977-1981, said he was "ready to follow him to victory in November."

The United States faced many challenges at home, such as energy,taxation, the environment, education and health, and to meet thesechallenges, Americans needed new leaders whose policies were shaped by working American families instead of the super- rich andtheir armies of lobbyists in Washington, he said.

But the biggest reason to make Kerry president was to safeguardthe security of the country, to restore the "greatness" of America"based on telling the truth, a commitment to peace, and respect for civil liberties at home and basic human rights around the world," he said.

Truth is the foundation of "our global leadership, but our credibility has been shattered, and we are left increasingly isolated and vulnerable in a hostile world," he noted.

Criticizing the policies of the Bush administration, he said that the United States "has alienated its allies, dismayed its friends, and inadvertently gratified its enemies by proclaiming a confused and disturbing strategy of preemptive war."

Source: Xinhua