Jimmy Carter: “I believe we have some countries that are temporarily inconvenienced economically, but there's an innate strength in the…”

This is a very wise and very courageous thing for President Obama to do. And in my opinion, is long overdue.

I think that sends a clear signal to Maliki that we won't be there indefinitely and my hope is that they'll be a commitment by the world community including the controversial nations of Syria and Iran.

But inside Palestine, outside of Israel, where the Israelis occupying forces are there, the persecution and deprivation of the Palestinians is horrendous.

I recognize that Israel is a wonderful democracy with freedom of speech and equality of treatment under the law between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis.