Carter said bloodshed in the country "would be tremendously reduced" if Iraqis knew U.S. troops were not there to stay.

The former president, answering written questions at a Carter Center forum, said the perception among Iraqis of a long-term U.S. military presence is the main reason the violence continues.

He also said elections planned for Iraq next year could help reduce tensions there. Those elections, he said, may not be as problem-free as most U.S. elections but generally would be fair.

"There is a ghost of a chance for democracy," Carter said.

He reiterated his belief that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was an unnecessary and "horrible war" that was based on a "deliberate" misinterpretation of intelligence. Saddam Hussein, while "a horrible man," did not threaten U.S. security, he said.

Carter, who has visited about 120 countries over the years, said he's never seen opinions of the United States as low as they are now.

"It's hard to find a country that looks to the U.S. with admiration," he said.

Turning to domestic politics, Carter discussed the bitter controversy over Sen. John Kerry's military service in the Vietnam War. Those who "refused to go" into the military during the Vietnam era are quick to question Kerry's service, he said.

"He's stigmatized as someone who's not worthy to defend our country," he said.

Asked about the race, Carter bemoaned the abundance of negative television ads and a culture in which he said big companies and special-interest groups give money to candidates with the expectation of later rewards.

And Carter decried the loss of civility in the campaign.

When he ran for president in 1976 and for re-election in 1980, Carter said, he and his Republican opponents generally addressed each other as "my distinguished opponent."

He cited the 2002 U.S. Senate campaign in Georgia, when Saxby Chambliss, who won, attacked incumbent Max Cleland for opposing a homeland security bill. A Chambliss TV ad, Carter said, depicted Cleland with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Carter took particular exception to Chambliss' criticism of Cleland --- a Vietnam veteran who lost three limbs in that war --- saying Chambliss had never served in the military.

The sad, thing, Carter said, is how effective such negative campaigns are. "The best way to win an election is to totally destroy the character of your opponent."

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