Carter Laments Iraq War's Unnecessary Costs

JOHANNESBURG, July 18, 2007 — -- Former President Jimmy Carter doesn't have to be careful with his words anymore.

Carter said it's part of the beauty of being a former president -- you can talk to whomever you like and say whatever is on your mind.

So perhaps it's not surprising that he is again voicing displeasure with his successor -- No. 43 that is.

As the Senate was pulling its all-nighter, Carter was sitting down with ABC News' Kate Snow in Johannesburg, South Africa. Carter said he thinks it's past time to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

"We should never have gone there to start with," Carter said. "It was an unnecessary war, an unjust war. It's created enormous, unanticipated suffering and cost. We ought to get out of there as soon as possible."

Carter said he thinks Congress should be pushing to have the recommendations of the bipartisan Hamilton-Baker commission adopted immediately.

"My own belief is that if all the Democrats and as many Republicans as possible just said, 'We adopt the Hamilton-Baker recommendations and we want to give them support. Those recommendations -- we want to put them in legislation.' That would be the best approach."

Carter acknowledged that a hasty withdrawal would be technically and logistically impossible and could "exacerbate suffering." But he said he favors a controlled withdrawal, beginning as soon as possible.

Asked if the Bush administration is making a mistake by being "stubborn" and not changing policies in Iraq Carter replied, "Yes, it is and has been from the very beginning."

Carter was in Johannesburg to join Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to announce the formation of a group called "the Elders" -- senior leaders from around the world who aim to tackle some of the world's most pressing problems.

The Elders group is the brainchild of wealthy tycoon Richard Branson and singer Peter Gabriel, who were also on hand for the announcement.