A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...03-04-04...Why are we Haitied so much?....

JohnHuang2; Aquamarine; Billie | JohnHuang2

[Aquamarine]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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Why are we Haitied so much?
The Haiti invasion and the French-looking Candidate

by JohnHuang2

New York Post

On Sunday morning, the scene was pure anarchy. To have called it a very chaotic situation would be putting it mildly. The whole thing looked very troubling. Confusion reigned as the free-for-all pandemonium -- the disarray and tumult -- grew wilder and wilder. As the cameras panned, zooming in on the militants, I could swear these guys looked high on drugs or something. Some looked like zombies. Others looked like plain hooligans or jailbirds. The clashes were fierce. Things were spiraling out of control. The notion these thugs could drive a president from office and provide security still seems ludicrous to me. There was so much turmoil, sooooo much upheaval, soooooooo much fighting, I couldn't help wondering, 'Will there be a bloodbath?'

But enough on the Democrat debate last Sunday (aired on CBS).

By the way, have you heard about the situation in Haiti? Sensing an imminent threat posed by Weapons of Mass Disturbance in Port-au-Prince, Democrat Sen. John Francois Kerry blasted the President for refusing to Rush To War in Haiti. What was Bush waiting for? For Haiti to attack the U.S. first? (Why, within just 45 minutes, the Ton Ton Macoutes could've deployed their long-range, ballistic machetes and bayonets, threatening a stiletto-shaped cloud over New York!)

Kerry was having none of this Win Without War stuff. Not when it comes to the latest global crisis in Haiti. With Americans across the U.S. feeling threatened by gangs in Port-au-Prince, Kerry ripped the peacenik Bush administration for ignoring Haiti, which recently plunged into turmoil 200 years ago. "I never would have allowed (Haiti) to get out of control the way it did," said the swashbuckling, rootin-tootin, gun-slinging Warmonger from Massachusetts in last Sunday's debate. Rather than acting pre-emptively, Bush waited too long, Kerry argued. 200 years! "He's late, as usual," said Kerry, bitterly. "This president always makes decisions late after things have happened that could have been different had he made a decision earlier," added Kerry. Bush acts as if going to war should be a matter of last resort or something. With the U.S. threatened by stockpiles of rioters and looters in Haiti, a president should not wait to go through the U.N., nor build a legitimate coalition. Internationalizing the effort -- and postwar planning to win the peace -- means wasting precious time. With America's way of life at stake on the streets of Haiti, it's time we couldn't afford to waste, Kerry insists. Military action in Haiti should never hinge on U.N. approval. If ever a case could be made for building a Fraudulent Coalition, Going-It-Alone, invading and occupying, it was Haiti. (Effective line of attack for Kerry? Nah. He's late, as usual. This Kerry guy always makes decisions late after things have happened that could have been different had he made a decision earlier).

Besides, in Haiti, Bush had a message for the influence peddlers, for the polluters, for the looters, the big drug traffickers that got in the way, the big special interests who called Aristide's palace their home: 'We're coming. You're going. And don't let the door hit you on the way out.' Aristide's departure triggered chaos across the
Democrat Party.

In a telephone interview Monday with the Associated Press, the hated dictator denied he was hated and said he was "forced to leave" by U.S. troops, remarks which sent tinfoil stocks soaring off the charts on Wall Street. Rep. Charles Rangle (D-Port-au-Prince), worried that swift regime change in Haiti could help Bush's standing in polls, accused U.S. troops of swift regime change in Haiti and of brutally kidnapping Aristide. (Go ahead -- play with my heart strings, why don't you?) Congresscritter Maxine Waters (D-Landoffruitsandnuts) also accused U.S. troops of brutally kidnapping Aristide. Aristide was so brutally kidnapped, that a video released by the Central African Republic showed him descending from a plane with no military escort.

In fact, so brutally kidnapped was Aristide that he forgot to say anything about being brutally kidnapped to a Caribbean Official he chatted via phone with from a refueling stop in Antigua. (Must've just slipped his mind. Aristide's 'mind' is the most secure location insanity has available). The Caribbean Official said Aristide said nothing about being kidnapped. Aristide also forgot to mention he was brutally kidnapped when he spoke on state radio Monday in the Central African Republic, in broadcasts carried nationwide. But that was before Congresscritters Waters and Rangle reminded Aristide that he was brutally kidnapped. The U.S. denied the allegations. "Absolutely baseless, absurd," said Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday. (Frankly, this kidnapping stuff is, on its face, far beyond baseless and absured. Look, Aristide might not have been an angel, but he was no danger to America like that brutal and corrupt, 6-year-old-dictator-kid, Elian Gonzalez!) The question of whether Aristide was kidnapped could be settled easily, I think. Order him to turn over several pair of diapers he's worn recently. If they ain't soiled, that's evidence his stepping down was voluntary.

Regardless, Rangle says Bush fueled the ouster of the hated dictator, affirming he's the first democratically elected president-for-life in Haiti. (So deeply commited to democracy was Aristide, he sought to foster democracy by liquidating rivals, suppressing dissent, looting foreign aid money. But, hey, don't thank him -- it's just another day at the office for Aristide, son of a mill worker who saw two Haitis after sawing Haiti in two. In the evenings, exhausted after doing so much democracy, he'd relax by absorbing the fictional works of fellow democracy champion, Karl Marx). Bush "was just as much a part of this coup d'etat as the rebels, as the looters," charged Rangle Sunday on ABC's The Week. No doubt the rebels and looters, chanting '200 more years!!!', were rebelling and looting because of fuel from Bush's tax cuts for Halliburton which fueled Aristide to be murderous and corrupt. (I knew OIL would be dragged into this). Rather than doing the sensible thing -- invading sooner to prop up an unpopular dictator -- "we really have let Haiti down," Rangle lamented. (Think about it. Here's Haiti, a country that has absolutely nothing to do with the War on Terror, poses no immediate threat to U.S. security -- finally, a cause worth fighting for! say Democrats). Rangle added that "it's really disappointing. We encouraged the coup" to get rid of a murderous dictator. (The Taliban, Saddam, Howell Raines -- all gone. So sad! Now this? Who's next in this harvest of sorrow? Castro? If Bush isn't stopped soon, he'll plunge the whole world into freedom!)

To be fair, I've been told by well-placed sources Aristide hasn't killed or tortured anyone . . . since Sunday, when he bravely fled into exile. (So much for his commitment to democracy!) Some say Aristide was destined for a fall. That he had a tin ear for politics, which is true. I bet you could yell Murderer! Torturer! Rapist! Thief! right in his face and his reply would be: 'Flattery will get you no where.' Then again, except for the killing and torture and thieving, he's a pretty low-key kind of guy, some might say. Others might say his patrician style is a turn off; that he's too aloof, too elitist, too much an insider, too dull a speaker -- his penchant for rambling speeches is now legendary; that he waffles too much and never gives straight answers to questions (first, he said he gave Bush authority to invade; now he says he's against the invasion because of the way he was handled). His basic problem is he comes across with all the authenticity of a San Francisco gay marriage license. And he fails to connect with people (though, to be fair, he did try. Like when he'd connect people with cattle prods during friendly interrogation sessions for detainees. Though sparks would fly during those, the technique was seen as overreach).

Deposed and rejected, Aristide now sees the media spotlight move elsewhere. The same brutal phenomenon awaits John Kerry, now without the Breck Girl as foil to run against in the primaries (be careful what you wish for). Low on cash, having shot his wad, it's all downhill from here for
the French-looking candidate.

Don't ya love it when a plan comes together so beautifully?

Anyway, that's...

My two cents..

"JohnHuang2"

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-01-04...Military Monday 03-02-04...March Madness 03-03-04...National Anthem Day

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

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[Aquamarine]

[Aquamarine]

Welcome to another edition of JohnHuang2!
Come read John's insightful and fun take on the news as things begin to heat up in our Hemisphere.

[JohnHuang2]

WOW!!!! Great...no, AWESOME JOB!

[JohnHuang2]

Gonna hit the sack (lil' lazy tonight...heh ;-)

Thanks, again, my friend :-) See ya soon!

[Aquamarine]

Thanks John. You typed up another remarkable essay.

Used your NYP picture...BTW. :)

[Aquamarine]

Good night John. Think I'll go too, my arms are tired.

See ya later...today.

[Calpernia]

Morning to the Finest!

Nice layout Aqua!

[Calpernia]

Fun read from our own JohnHuang!

PING

[Kudsman]

Great read you two. Glad I stayed up late and caught this gem. G'night FRiends. :-)

[StarCMC]

Great read as usual John! You nailed it!!

[Libertina]

Evening Calpernia! Just popping in quickly to say hi before bed:) I see you've still got your beautiful bird on the birdbath - Have a great day tomorrow and I hope to be able to visit for a decent amount of time. Thanks for another great article, JH2. Sweet dreams everyone!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Aqua.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Thursday !

[lonestar]

Wag! Wag! Wag! Licks to you.

Weinie

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', John ! ;^)

I read down to here so far and you've got me cracking up already, ROFL!!:

... But enough on the Democrat debate last Sunday (aired on CBS).

[The Mayor]

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials

Life's burdens are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

[MeekOneGOP]

ROFL !! ...

(The Taliban, Saddam, Howell Raines -- all gone. So sad! Now this? Who's next in this harvest of sorrow? Castro? If Bush isn't stopped soon, he'll plunge the whole world into freedom!)

Good job, John ! Another one clean outta tha park !

What a way to start my day ! Thanks ...

[The Mayor]

March 4, 2004

Happy Adversity?

Read: James 1:1-12

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. —James 1:2

Bible In One Year: Numbers 31-33; Mark 9:1-29

---

On the back of a wedding anniversary card were some wiggly lines drawn by our 3-year-old grandson. Alongside was a note from our daughter explaining that Trevor told her what he had written: "I'm writing a letter for your love and happy adversity."

Trevor's "mistake" has become our watchword, because "happy adversity" embodies the biblical principle of facing difficulties with joy: "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (James 1:2-3).

From our perspective, adversity is anything but happy. We have the idea that the Christian life is supposed to be trouble-free, and we see little value in hardship. But God sees it differently.

J. B. Phillips' translation of James 1:2-3 reads: "When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance."

Affliction does not come as a thief to steal our happiness, but as a friend bringing the gift of staying power. Through it all, God promises us His wisdom and strength.

So don't be offended if I wish you "Happy Adversity" today. —David McCasland

Be assured beyond all doubting,
In the trial you're passing through,
That the Lord's great love and mercy
Is at work for good in you. —Anon.

Life's burdens are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

[dansangel]

But enough on the Democrat debate last Sunday (aired on CBS).

Was not ready for *that* one ((((((JH2))))))! I was left ROFL by that sneak attack! Kudos for another job all too well-done!

Outstanding presentation ((((((Aqua)))))) - thank you for our weekly dose of John. One question: Just who in the heckfire is horse-face Kerry saluting in the last graphic? What a putz.

((((((HUGS))))))) to all - waiting to be called into an early-morning meeting that can go one of two ways - *awful* or *worse.* Hate having to play these stupid corporate tug-of-war political games.

Hugs to [[[[[{{{{{(((((Louie_Wolfie_Man)))))}}}}}]]]]] and to my favorite resident curmudgeon, (((((((Skinny dood)))))))))

[The Mayor]

Excellent!!