WASHINGTON, May 21: Former US President Jimmy Carter said on Monday that he did not want to call the Bush administration the “worst in history” but he did believe that it was worse than that of President Richard Nixon.

In a statement published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Saturday Mr Carter was quoted as saying: "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nations around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." Mr Carter cited “an overt reversal of America’s basic values” and said the Bush administration is pursuing foreign policies that are contrary to the record of previous Presidents Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and Reagan.

His comments caused an equally harsh retort from the Bush White House where spokesman Tony Fratto called Mr Carter “increasingly irrelevant.” He said: “I think it’s sad that President Carter’s reckless personal criticism is out there.”

Speaking on NBC's "Today," Mr Carter said his remarks were "careless or misinterpreted" when he said the Bush administration has been the "worst in history.”

He added: "I think this administration's foreign policy compared to President Nixon's was much worse." But he said he did not mean to call it the worst in history.

"No, that's not what I wanted to say. I wasn't comparing this administration with other administrations back through history but just with President Nixon."

Usually, former US presidents are respectful when commenting on the current occupant of the White House. So when the nation’s 39th president (Mr Carter) commented on the 43rd (Mr Bush), it caused uproar. Commentators pointed out that it does not help America’s relations with foreign nations or its effort in the war on terrorism to have the former president of the United States denounce the Commander-in-Chief.

“It shows that the country is not united in our war effort and gives aid and comfort to our enemy,” said one commentator.