Former President Jimmy Carter reportedly sent a personal condolence letter to the son of Kim Jong Il, the late North Korean leader who presided over one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency claimed that the former U.S. president sent "a message of condolences" to Kim Jong Un, the son tapped to succeed Kim Jong Il at the helm of the communist state. The news agency said Carter wished the next leader of North Korea "every success as he assumes his new responsibility of leadership, looking forward to another visit to (North Korea) in the future."

A representative for Carter so far has not returned a request for comment on whether the KCNA account was accurate.

But the thought of a former U.S. president sending his best wishes to the next "dear leader" of North Korea while lamenting the loss of the last one didn't sit right with some observers.

"For someone who has uttered nary a word about the plight of the North Korean people ... it seems bizarre to lament the passing of his dictatorship," said Danielle Pletka, vice president for foreign and defense studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Pletka noted sarcastically that Carter "is in quite charming company" - according to KCNA, messages of condolence also came from the leaders of Syria, Sudan and other rogue regimes.

While Carter may have sent a letter of condolence, other U.S. officials took a much different approach -- celebrating Kim Jong Il's passing as an opportunity for reform.

"The world is a better place now that Kim Jong Il is no longer in it," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement after the North Korean leader died, reportedly of a heart attack. "For more than six decades, people in North Korea have been consigned to lives of dire poverty and cruel oppression under one of the most totalitarian regimes the world has ever known. I can only express satisfaction that the Dear Leader is joining the likes of Qaddafi, Bin Laden, Hitler, and Stalin in a warm corner of hell."

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tweeted that the rule of Kim Jong Il was "monstrous," expressing hope for a better future.

"May the people of N. Korea come to know the freedom the South has enjoyed for years," Rumsfeld wrote.

North Korea is by many accounts the most isolated society on earth thanks to the Kim dynasty's policies. By law, North Koreans are not allowed to leave North Korea, though some refugees have managed to escape. Media outlets are state-run, there is no independent judiciary and human rights abuses are widespread.

It is estimated that at least 150,000 political prisoners are held in North Korea's detention camps. As the people of North Korea suffered through famine and a dismal economy, Kim Jong Il used state money to maintain a luxurious lifestyle while building up the nation's military.

Kim Jong Il also interminably frustrated Western leaders with his pursuit of nuclear weapons and his repeated provocation of North Korea's neighbors.

The White House has said little about the legacy of Kim Jong Il, other than to note the country is "in a period of national mourning" to and stress the importance of ensuring the security of South Korea and Japan.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that "we are deeply concerned with the well being of the North Korean people and our thoughts and prayers are with them during these difficult times," while urging the new leadership to put the nation on "the path of peace."

It's unclear whether Carter might have sent any similar words of advice to the next leader of North Korea.

The former president has visited North Korea several times since leaving office, including in 1994 for vital talks on the country's nuclear program. He also visited in 2010 to secure the release of an American held in North Korea, and again earlier this year.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/22/carter-sends-condolence-letter-to-kim-jong-ils-son-north-korean-media-say/#ixzz1hJOz97xP

What a piece of garbage and some people wonder why he didn't get a second term!

what a world, when a wish of condolence makes someone garbage

IF it even happened, its sad to see people try to use it to put the man down,,,,

Well I have my views about Jimmy Carter, so his actions here do not surprise me in the least.

I think he is a brilliant and caring man, who was probably too honest, intelligent, and loving to be a successful politician,,,

That's just one of the MANY things that makes Carter garbage.

This is like sending a condolance letter to one of Hitlers kids(If he had any).

Honest and intelligent? That guy created more problems as President, problems that we still cant fix today!

which have nothing to do with honesty or intelligence

Has a lot to do with intelligence.

yes, I understand, the kids are guilty of their fathers sins and deserve no compassion or condolence,, what scumbag would think otherwise,,,

I always considered an IQ in the 170s as anything but unintelligent, but what do I know,,,,

It would be just about as appropriate for former President Carter to send personal condolences to the children of Osama Bin Laden.

However, I believe this is an approved measure to try to help engage
the new leader of N Korea in a dialogue aimed at helping the N Korean
people in the long term overcome their desperate financial condition
and reduce the threat from N Korea's nuclear program.

So, we hold our nose and talk to him. Kind of like giving his dad
that basketball autographed by Jordan.

We have to remember who we are dealing with here.

I think the attitude is - "What can it hurt to be sympathetic?"

Aside from that, I don't have a lot of respect for Carter anymore
even if he is the finest mind to ever come out of Plains, Ga.

Despite being honest and truthful, Carter's administration suffered from his inexperience in politics. Carter paid too much attention to detail. He frequently backed down from confrontation and was always quick to retreat when under fire from political rivals. He frequently appeared to be indecisive and ineffective, and did not define his priorities clearly. He seemed to be distrustful and uninterested in working with other groups, or even with Congress when controlled by his own party, which he denounced for being controlled by special interest groups.[64] Though he made efforts to address many of these issues in 1978, the approval he won from his reforms did not last long.

When Carter ran for reelection, Ronald Reagan's nonchalant self-confidence contrasted to Carter's serious and introspective temperament. Carter's personal attention to detail, his pessimistic attitude, his seeming indecisiveness and weakness with people was also accentuated by Reagan's charismic charm and easy delegation of tasks to subordinates.[64][66] Ultimately, the combination of the economic problems, the Iran hostage crisis, and lack of Washington cooperation made it very easy for Reagan to portray Carter as a weak and ineffectual leader, which resulted in Carter to become the first elected president since 1932 to lose a reelection bid, and his presidency was largely considered to be a failure.

Bill Clinton secretly recruited Carter to undertake a peace mission to North Korea,[71] under the guise that it was a private mission of Carter's. Clinton saw Carter as a way to let North Korean President Kim Il-sung back down without losing face.[72]

In December 2009, Carter apologized for any words or deeds that may have upset the Jewish community in an open letter meant to improve an often tense relationship. He said he was offering an Al Het, a prayer said on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.[130]

the envoy to the Middle East under Clinton, as well as the first director of the Carter Center[125][126] – have accused him of anti-Israeli bias. Specifically, these critics have alleged significant factual errors, omissions and misstatements in the book.[127][128]

125. Dennis Ross, "Don't Play With Maps," The New York Times, January 9, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2009.
126. Kenneth W. Stein, "My Problem with Jimmy Carter's Book," Middle East Forum, Spring, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2009.
127. Julie Bosman, "Carter View of Israeli 'Apartheid' Stirs Furor," The New York Times, December 14, 2006. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
128. Alan Dershowitz (November 22, 2006). "The World According to Carter". The New York Sun. Retrieved September 25, 2007.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/opinion/09ross.html

http://www.nysun.com/arts/world-according-to-carter/43958/

Not really surprising action fro Peanut-Jimmy!
He's always had a special Crush ob Dictators!

I've never had respect for thar POS.

His son Jack was running for US Senator here in Nevada a few years back and Mr. Peanut had to stop going to events for his son because it was hurting his son badly.

Carter is a very nice and very intelligent man. Just not cut out for President. I wouldn't vote for him, but I wouldn't rake his name through the mud based on hearsay or Winkpedia info either. "I've never had respect for thar POS." Were you even old enough to be aware the JC was a President when he was? You talk about it like you were right there. What were you, like 1 or 2 when he was elected?

I liked Jimmy Carter. He could well have been one of the nicest people to ever have become President. I'm glad they didn't assassinate him. That's usually what they do to nice guys.

I suspect that the hostage rescue mission he attempted was purposely sabotaged. If it would have been successful, he would have been a hero and he would have been re-elected. People in high places did not want that to happen. (The company)

Thank you Jimmy Carter for being a decent human being.

on this we agree, I liked him when I was a kid, and as I learned more of him , I continued to like him,,,