Ch. 12 : Attacking Terrorism, Not Human Rights?, p. 129

Aside from the humanitarian aspects, it is well known that, under excruciating torture, a prisoner will admit almost any suggested crime. Such confessions are, of course, not admissible in trials in civilized nations. The primary goal of torture or the threat of torture is not to obtain convictions for crimes, but to engender and maintain fear. Some of our leaders have found that it is easy to forgo human rights for those who are considered to be subhuman, or "enemy combatants."

— Jimmy Carter

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Aside from the humanitarian aspects, it is well known that, under excruciating torture, a prisoner will admit almost any suggested crime. Such confessions are, of course, not admissible in trials in civilized nations. The primary goal of torture or the threat of torture is not to obtain convictions for crimes, but to engender and maintain fear. Some of our leaders have found that it is easy to forgo human rights for those who are considered to be subhuman, or "enemy combatants."" in the context of "Ch. 12 : Attacking Terrorism, Not Human Rights?, p. 129" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Jimmy Carter" (Quotes, Post-Presidency: [[File:Rosalynn Carter (48885949882).jpg|thumb|Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.]], 2000s, Our Endangered Values (2005): Full title: Our Endangered Values : America's Moral Crisis (2005) ) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 01, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Jimmy Carter

About Jimmy Carter

James Earl Carter, Jr. (October 1, 1924 – December 29, 2024) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. In 1982 he established the Carter Center, as a base for promoting human rights, democracy, finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, and advancing economic and social development, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He was a key figure in the Habitat for Humanity project, and has been noted for his criticism of Israel's role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.