500 US Marines Ordered to Haiti

FOX NEWS ^ | 02/29/04 | Self

[Howlin]

Not true; they are preparing to go, IF ASKED by the interim government.

Nobody has been ordered anywhere yet.

[sarcasm]

Filed at 12:39 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States could send forces to Haiti within days to deter rebels from grabbing power after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned on Sunday under increasing American pressure in the face of an armed rebellion, a U.S. official said.

Criticized for responding slowly to defuse the revolt and for failing to mediate a viable alternative to Aristide, Washington is now worried rebels will fill a power vacuum in a nation with a history of coups and political violence.

``The wild card here is the rebels. Are they with the program?'' a State Department official said. ``We want to make sure we neutralize them. Not necessarily by going after them but the timely insertion of some kind of deterrent is important.''

The United States, which restored Aristide to power a decade ago after a coup, helped the president leave the country, the official said, without giving details of the operation. The plane carrying Aristide refueled in Antigua, the official, who did not know the exile's final destination, said.

Initially U.S. troops would make up the bulk of any international force as they could quickly reach Haiti, which is several hundred miles from Florida, the official, who asked not be named, said.

``They could go within days or even sooner than that. These guys are always on a boat somewhere and they can get any place real fast,'' he said.

The U.S. ambassador to Haiti James Foley said international military forces ``will rapidly be in Haiti'' and urged the rebels who forced out the president to lay down their arms.

The United States failed to mediate a settlement, rejected Aristide's pleas for foreign troops to quell the revolt and pressured him to resign. It said it would organize an international security force only once Haitians hammered out a political solution.

Critics said it was a hands-off strategy that effectively pushed the democratically-elected leader from power without making way for a widely acceptable successor in the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson called Aristide's resignation ``an American-assisted coup'' and said, ``Bush made it clear ... he would offer no assistance to stop the military overthrow of the government.''

Another Bush administration official said, ``Aristide made the right decision for the Haitian people by resigning.''

KEEP REBELS AT BAY

With rebels controlling half of the country, the U.S. tactic on Sunday was to try to keep them at bay to win time for Haitians to organize a transition according to their constitution. That would allow the Supreme Court chief to become head of state.

``We need to provide some political space to move forward to allow the constitution to take its course,'' the State Department official said.

Another U.S. official said that Washington was closely watching the situation and wanted to have Haitians invite the troops in before taking any decision. ``You could send people (forces) from any direction,'' he said.

Defense officials said on Friday the United States was considering sending three warships with about 2,000 U.S. Marines.

There had been fears of a bloodbath in the capital over the weekend if the rebels attacked. A senior administration official said Aristide's departure was a relief but did not mean the end of the crisis.

``We managed to stave that off. But we are heading into another dangerous period because any vacuum in Haiti could also be dangerous,'' he said on condition of anonymity.

Last week, the United States failed to win a power-sharing accord with the opposition. It then warned the Marines could be in Haiti in two days in an effort to keep rebels from attacking the capital and allow time to pressure Aristide, whom it blamed for fomenting violence over years.

The United States restored Aristide to power in 1994 with 20,000 troops. But Washington has been increasingly frustrated at the former priest and since 2000 has been key in restricting international aid to the government to punish him for allowing flawed parliamentary elections.

[Howlin]

Morocco refused Aristide entrance. Still trying to find a place for him to go.

[billorites]

"Still trying to find a place for him to go."

He was commencement speaker about 10 years ago at Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts.

I'm sure he'd be welcomed back.

What is a disgraced, loser, ex-dictator to do if not get a tenured gig in academia?

[Robe]

TRUE.....The president just announced it after returning to the White House From Camp David....
Earlier reports DID state they were awaiting a "Letter" from the acting Haiti government.
Considering that the President said "I have ordered the deployment of marines to Haiti"...it's good enough for me.
w

[EEDUDE]

Why not just air-drop him back into Haiti?

Without a parachute, of course.

Probably settle things down right away.

[mikenola]

Criticized for responding slowly to defuse the revolt and for failing to mediate a viable alternative to Aristide,

Now just hold it right there buster, does Bush have a UN mandate for this unilateralist action?

[rightwingcrazy]

"Criticized for responding slowly to defuse the revolt and for failing to mediate a viable alternative to Aristide,"...

But wouldn't that be...Unilateralism? Or worse, imperialist preemption?

[sarcasm]

U.S. to Send Marines to Help Secure Haiti

By THE ASSOCIATED PRES

Published: February 29, 2004

ASHINGTON -- President Bush on Sunday acknowledged the constitutional successor in Haiti and sent Marines to help quell violence on the turbulent island nation.

"It's the beginning of a new chapter" in Haiti's history, Bush told reporters as he returned to the White House from Camp David. The president urged Haitians to reject violence and "give this break from the past a chance to work."

[Howlin]

He ordered them to get ready; I heard him on the South Lawn; they're getting ready to go, IF ASKED.

[Robe]

Nobody has been ordered anywhere yet

ARE TOO ....ARE TOO... (:^)

[Howlin]

We're arguing over semantics; so far, there's nobody in Haiti to even ask them, as far as we know.......LOL.

[Happy2BMe]

I'd much rather see them deployed to Cochise County, Arizona.

[jwalsh07]

God bless the jarheads.

[hole_n_one]

[Howlin]

Oh! The Canadians have taken over the airport in Haiti!

Things are moving FAST down there!

Nice welcoming committee -- a MULTINATIONAL force, I'd say!

[Carolinamom]

Bush disarms the dems! Again. The Black Caucus has been screeching for US unilateral action THIS time. Will Kerry and Edwards hold out for the UN to take over, after discussing it for 12 years of course?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The Canadians now control the Port-au-Prince Airport in Haiti and are preparing for incoming troops!! Just reported on FoxNews.

[TexKat]

Fox News Alert: Canadian troops have taken control of airport in Port au Prince preparing for arrival of other nation's troops.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I heard it on Fox.

[wardaddy]

Very nice moves by W on this one from my perspective. His team actually acted like they had an ear on the ground down there and they were correct based on my own Haitian experiences.

The Dems can now only6 screech about Psycho Priest having to skeedaddle.

[Robe]

Bet cha dollar to a donut.. the Jar heads are in the air as we speak... errr .. type

[Carolinamom]

Ever on the look out for SOMETHING...any thing...to criticise Bush for, Kerry will complain about the SMALLNESS of the number of marines...only 500...going to Haiti.

[Howlin]

Oh, gosh. Remember the LAST times the Marines tried to get off Radio Island down in Morehead City to get to Haiti?

It tooks WEEKS because of a storm off the coast!

[CedarDave]

Kerry was seen on TV last night saying we needed to send in troops to save Aristide and democracy. President Bush waited until he was gone to send troops to stabilize the country. Kerry is on the wrong side as usual. Take a listen to resident liberal Juan Williams on Fox News Sunday who outlines in detail how Aristide went from a hopeful democratic leader in a poverty stricken country to a hated dictator. This is one time when Juan is right on the money.

(BTW, I didn't hear Kerry say we had to go to the UN to get their approval before we went to Haiti. In their minds, we have to get international approval only when OUR interests are paramount. In this case, our going to Haiti with Aristide still in power would only prop up a left-leaning dictator loved by the liberals.)

[Carolinamom]

Score 2 for Juan: Character counts (last week's truth) and today's re Aristide. He's learning...slowly.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I'm sure they're "inbound", as they say.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

They're talking about evacuating Americans.

This is the 33rd coup in the history of Haiti.

[Howlin]

Guards at the prison took off their uniforms and ran; I guess that means the prisoners either are or will be on the loose shortly.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I heard that Al Gore really supported Aristide. I wonder how much he bribed Gore for that little booster. Too bad Gore didn't win! :-)

[Verginius Rufus]

Haiti is a mess because of the French. If they had not seized it from Spain and built it up as an area of slave plantations, it would now be like the Dominican Republic--not great, but not nearly as bad off as Haiti is. When Haitian slaves rebelled and produced Toussaint L'Ouverture as a leader, the French treacherously captured Toussaint and took him to France, where he died. Perhaps he could have done a better job than the leaders Haiti got afterwards, who have been consistently bad and sometimes horrendous.

Looks like a clear-cut case of France needing to pay reparations.

Haiti has impinged on US history in two ways: when Napoleon was unable to reconquer it, he decided to sell Louisiana to the US, and the horror stories of how the slaves massacred the whites there may have made it harder to persuade US slaveholders that it was safe and practical to end slavery in the US. (Of course they also had a large financial stake in continuing it.)

[Carolinamom]

FOX: Shots were fired in the vicinity believed to be where Bin Laden is.........As Drudge says, developing.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Took off their uniforms, eh? Sounds like it's a good time for any govt. guys to lay low and ditch any I.D. or clothing items that might give them away. Better lose the briefcase, too.

[PISANO]

Another CLINTON MESS that our "INCOMPETENT" POTUS is FIXING with adroit diplomacy and the MARINES. Anyone who does NOT see the utter failure of the previous administration and the GREATNESS of this President and HIS CABINET, is BLIND, CRAZY or BOTH.

Thank GOD for GW!!!

[armymarinemom]

I would really appreciate a ping if the unit is announced. All they have announced a base but not unit. My Marine's unit is out of Jejune but is CA and packed up to return to base.

[Destro]

So we Republicans have learned nothing from history? How much will this deployment end up costing us? How many straws must this president place on the back of his conservative base before it breaks??

[cyborg]

'Refugees' at Pt Lisas

Couva police detain stowaways

with reporting by Richard Charan and Carolyn Kissoon


Sunday, February 29th 2004


Couva police were last night trying to interrogate three stowaways who arrived on a container ship which docked on Friday at the Point Lisas port.

The stowaways, one of whom is said to be as young as 16, are believed to be from the Dominican Republic. The police were up to late last night awaiting the arrival of Immigration officers and an interpreter in order to question the trio, who were initially thought to be fleeing Haitians.

The teenager is said to have run off when the ship docked, and was reportedly able to get out of the compound of the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Ltd (PLIPDECO) with the help of workers, who gave him a safety helmet and vest so he could not be singled out.

When the other two were discovered on board, the Couva police were called in and a search began for the missing teen. He was held and all three were taken to the Couva Police Station.

The ship on which the three stowed away is said to be headed for Houston, Texas, in the United States.

Investigations are continuing and a preliminary report was yesterday submitted to Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs.

[B4Ranch]

I'df like to see us do this in Washington DC!

"``We need to provide some political space to move forward to allow the constitution to take its course,'' the State Department official said."

[Pontiac]

Canadian troops have taken control of airport in Port au Prince

Did they take a United flight or maybe a chartered flight.

After all they don’t have an Air Force/Army or Navy with the equipment to get the troops there.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Got to clean up Bill Clinton's failed foreign policy!

[amber_ca]

like these guys?

[TexKat]

Okay Pontiac, Fox News is now saying the Canadian government is saying that that is untrue. They are not at nor in control of the Haiti airport.

[Pontiac]

Canadian government is saying that that is untrue. They are not at nor in control of the Haiti airport.

I thought so.

The only reason the Canadians are in control of Canada is that no one else wants to be.

[wardaddy]

Stowaways have always been a big issue with any ship coming from the DR....we had huge problems with them.

[KQQL]

MORE NATION BUILDING ?

[OrioleFan]

Kerry's friends, the French, are still trying to get their aircraft carrier to float.

[libtoken]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040301/323/enbly.html

AFP reports:


PORT-AU-PRINCE (AFP) - US Marines were arriving in Haiti to launch an international force to restore order after the Caribbean nation's president Jean Bertrand Aristide fled a mounting insurrection.

A Marine contingent took up combat positions at Port-au-Prince airport just before the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a multinational force in Haiti for up to three months.


Click to enlarge photo
Canadian special forces, who had secured the airport earlier to protect the evacuation of Canadians, were still at their posts and French troops and gendarmes were expected to arrive on Monday.

Aristide flew out from the same airport with US help more than 12 hours earlier, under pressure from rebel forces and abandoned by the international community.


Click to enlarge photo
Aristide headed for the Central African Republic en route to exile in South Africa. Two government ministers were waiting at the international airport in Bangui to receive him.

[libtoken]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3521373.stm

(snip)

The first deployment of about 100 US marines is reported to be establishing a base at the airport in Port-au-Prince to secure it for future military arrivals.

Canadian special forces are also at the airport, where they are helping Canadian nationals who wish to leave Haiti.

US defence officials say additional troops will be sent to Haiti and the US will take initial command of the multinational force, though that could change once the full UN operation begins.


As well as trying to restore peace in Port-au-Prince, the US marines will help to deliver humanitarian assistance and repatriate any Haitians caught at sea.

The UN Security Council authorised a force to stay in Haiti for up to three months to restore security and stability on Sunday night. The emergency resolution was passed unanimously.

It is expected to be followed by a UN stabilisation force, probably including civilian police, which has no time limit.
(snip)