Aristide vows to rule anarchic Haiti

[Darranar]

Undeterred by the advancing rebels and growing anarchy, Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide has insisted he would not step down.

...

US condemnation

Alarmed by the sweeping lawlessness, the White House directly blamed Aristide for the current crisis and questioined "his fitness to governor Haiti."

"This long-simmering crisis is largely of Mr Aristide's making," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said in a statement.

"His failure to adhre to democratic principles has contributed to the deep polarisation and violent unrest that we are witnessing in Haiti today," he said.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6ADE2584-97AE-4E40-AAF8-B3D1E15210DC.htm

[MSgt213]

1. That guy is nuts. If they get to him. I'm afraid they might kill him

[bemildred]

2. Seems to be repeating the mainstream stuff.

Here's another, some interesting bits, but needs some
interpretation:

POTENTIAL HOT SPOTS: The End is Near in Haiti

Aristide is paranoid about his safety and hired a tightlipped
California-based company called "The Steele Foundation". This
bodyguards are former SEALs, Delta Force, Army Rangers and Marine
reconnaissance troops, but also includes a handful of non-Americans.
On December 17, 2001, two dozen heavily armed men attacked the
National Palace, killed two policemen and two passersby in an apparent
coup attempt. Aristide was not in the palace at the time.

Afterwards, Aristide's Presidential Protection Unit grew from 10 to 16
agents (although one US official estimated it could have gone as high as
60 guards). The private security detail's total estimated cost also rose,
from $6 million to $9 million a year (with a "weapons package'' for the
guards worth just under $1 million). - Adam Geibel

Heaven forfend, what would he be worried about?

http://www.strategypage.com//fyeo/qndguide/default.asp?target=pothot.htm

[Darranar]

3. Yes...

I only posted it because of the various quotes from US officials contained within. Interesting how they blame Aristide for terrorists rampaging through his country, but blame freedoms for terrorists rampaging through our country. Of course, hypocrisy has never been in short supply when it comes to foreign policy...

[bemildred]

4. Just following the script, they are.

Some of the quotes were quite unintentionally ironic,
and very reminiscent of what we heard about Venezuela a
while back.

[Darranar]

6. This one is a little better...

Haiti opposition rejects peace deal

Haiti's political opposition has formally rejected an international peace plan, as armed rebels seized another city amid warnings of a bloodbath.

The opposition bucked intense pressure to accept the power-sharing proposal because the plan does not include the automatic removal of embattled President Jean-Betrand Aristide.

The president had earlier refused to step down and predicted brutal killing sprees if his political foes did not relent.

The rejection is to be announced on Wednesday and is expected to be roundly condemned, particularly by the United States which had leaned heavily on the opposition to accept the proposal.

[bemildred]

8. Earlier part of the script.

Aristide is an interesting guy.
Very smart from what I can tell.

I'm assuming the purpose of the script is to get him
out, and I don't think he's going to leave voluntarily.

[einniv]

14. Peace plan?? lol

The Peace plan is for him to just give up and go away lol.
That isn't a plan it is an ultimatum.
What a farce.

[Webster Green]

5. Aristide is paranoid about his safety ?

Paranoid? It is not paranoia if they really are out to get you!

[bemildred]

7. Yeah, that was my thought too.

I wonder if they think Shrub is paranoid?

[Aidoneus]

9. what's really fucking brilliant here..

is the US embassy in Haiti, suggesting that Aristide pull HIS people back!! "Yeah, we know about the business about that little revolt in the north.. yeah, those rightwing gangs we trained are coming, but, uh.. so, yeah, you'd better lay down and just be our bitch.."

And McClellan? What nerve of these bastards.

[Darranar]

10. The blatant hypocrisy is disgusting...

when terrorists attacked us, the US bombed two countries to bits and killed tens of thousands of civilians, slaughtering far more civilians then were killed in the strike.

When our terrorists attack them, "you are responsible," "get out now", "restore 'democracy'", "rein in your terrorist gangs" (what about ours?) and so on.

[bvar22]

11. Aristide should be paranoid. Mainstream US Editorial

in Minneapolis Star Tribune Sat, Feb.28th

<snip>
One doesn't have to wander far from the Associated Press wires to find abundant information about the United States' enthusiastic long-term "intervention" in Haiti. The so-called "democratic convergence" that has dogged Aristide's elected government is, in fact, a tiny group of malcontents who are working with elements of the Bush administration to turn Haiti into one vast sweatshop zone.

Having been soundly rejected in every election in which they've run against Aristide's grass-roots "Lavalas" party, they've used millions of U.S. tax dollars to organize street demonstrations, buy up radio and television stations, and, most recently, field a vicious army of thugs, styling themselves the "Cannibal Army," who have attacked police stations and set about occupying Haitian cities.

All this has been funded from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the guise of its falsely so-called "Democracy Enhancement" program. USAID has long been notorious for channeling money to the tiny pro-business elite and its armed goons. It was USAID money that helped a CIA agent persuade Emmanuel (Toto) Constant to organize the murderous FRAPH in 1991. That terrorist organization was responsible for some 5,000 murders in the wake of the military coup that removed Aristide from his first term as elected president. Constant now lives as a real estate agent in Brooklyn, thanks to the protection of the U.S. State and Justice departments
<end snip>


This is damning stuff!
Must Read
much more:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/4634298.html

[einniv]

12. "largely of his own making" LMAO

I just yesterday listened to a tape by Michael Parenti where he noted that after the overthrow of Salvador Allende in 1973 that the New York Times said "the biggest portion of the blame lies with Dr. Allende himself"

History repeats!!

Welcome to the banana republic where the song remains the same.

[einniv]

13. So what is Al Jazeera's angle...

Please please focus your death machine on your own hemisphere.

Ahhh no need for fancy manuevers they are way more beaten down than the Iraqi's even.

[einniv]

15. Here are some articles I found from indy media.

Coup in Haiti Appears to Have US Support

http://arkansas.indymedia.org/feature/display/2959/index.php


Media vs. Reality in Haiti

http://zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?%20SectionID=21&ItemID=4977


Haiti-Which way forward against Imperialism?
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/02/281056.shtml