Gary looks at growing tension between Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He also looks at recent comments by Jimmy Carter in regards to a Palestinian state.

In the 30 years since he left the White House, former President Jimmy Carter has strived to advance humanitarian principles around the world. The Carter Center, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1982, has sent observers to monitor elections in developing democracies, participated in international conflict negotiations, and promoted human rights and economic and social development. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. His life is chronicled in a new biography for school-age children titled Gift of Peace by Elizabeth Raum. The book focuses on themes of “family, faith, and harmony,” and principles of compassion and justice, which Carter says guided not only his life but also his presidency. The 39th president recently spoke with U.S. News about some of the topics covered in his biography as they relate to recent events. Excerpts:

You have done a lot of work promoting democracy in the Middle East. Can you comment on the revolutions sweeping that region?