[C19fan]

The US Army needs to impose martial law and shoot first policy for looters and thugs. I bet the vast majority of Haitains would approve.

[omega4179]

only if Haiti pays us back for the bullets. They have 1.4 billion in national debt and we have something between 13-106 trillion.

[PapaBear3625]

The US Army needs to impose martial law and shoot first policy for looters and thugs. I bet the vast majority of Haitains would approve.

Just what the world would like to see: lots of black Haitians gunned down by white US troops. Not. Pass.

[Travis McGee]

The US Army needs to impose martial law and shoot first policy for looters and thugs. I bet the vast majority of Haitains would approve.

They would in fact be seen as saviours.

[ExNewsExSpook]

Your prediction will probably come true in the next few days; the lead battalion of the 82nd Abn Div’s “ready brigade” is en route; an amphibious ready group, built around the USS Nassau and the 24th MEU departs the east coast early next week. It’s a sure bet that the amphib group and the Marines will wind up there as well. The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrives tomorrow, and one of our hospital ship will be on station next week.

The security mission is pretty straight-forward; secure the airfield, the ports and other elements of key infrastructure (that are still usable). Establish security for the various offices/facilities that will be coming on line in the next week or so. Help the populace near these locations, then expand out into the countryside as more troops and resources become available.

BTW, some of the most important U.S. personnel in Haiti right now USAF combat controllers and aerial port specialists. The controllers are best known for calling in close air support in combat zones, but they’re also fully trained air traffic controllers. They’ve probably established a mobile ATC facility in Port-au-Prince and are doing most of the air traffic control work.

The aerial port specialists have the personnel, expertise and (most importantly) the hardware to unload those cargo planes piling up at the airport. A lot of countries sent aircraft that can’t be unloaded without K-loaders and other specialized equipment.

[conimbricenses]

They did it in 1915, and it worked. The dictator of the moment (they're a dime a dozen in Haitian history) was on a massive killing spree in which he executed 167 politicians from the opposing faction. A massive revolt broke out on July 27 in Port Au Prince with looting and burning right up to the doorstep of the presidential palace, with the dictator himself being seized and mutilated by the mob.

The U.S. said enough was enough and had a ship load of marines there to put an end to it in a single day's time.

The marines occupied Haiti for the next 19 years. They were also the ONLY period of peace and stability in that country's entire history.