President Biden Eulogized His Predecessor
Former President Jimmy Carter was honored at a state funeral today at Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden delivered a eulogy. Tributes praised Carter as an honest and ahead-of-his-time leader.
Carter, who passed away last month in Georgia, was the 39th U.S. president and the oldest living former president, reaching the age of 100. During his presidency, he led several significant foreign policy initiatives, including the peace deal between Israel and Egypt, the normalization of relations with China, and the Panama Canal treaties that ended U.S. control over the canal.
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were agreements signed in 1978 between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, brokered by Carter at the presidential retreat in Maryland, leading to the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country.
U.S.-China Relations
Under Carter’s leadership, the U.S. and China officially recognized each other in 1979, marking a significant diplomatic shift after years of slow progress.
Iran Hostage Crisis
In 1979, Iranian revolutionaries seized 52 U.S. embassy staff, holding them hostage for 444 days, severely affecting Carter’s public image after a failed military rescue attempt.
Energy Crisis
Carter’s presidency faced a global oil crisis following the Iranian revolution, leading him to pledge reduced reliance on foreign oil. However, this and the ensuing economic issues diminished public confidence, impacting his re-election bid in 1980.
