Aristide Accuses U.S. of Deposing Him in 'Coup'

myway.com ^ | 3/1/04 | myway

[NotchJohnson]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Monday accused the United States of forcing him out of office in a "coup d'etat." Aristide told CNN in an interview from the Central African Republic, where he is in exile, that the United States "forced" him to leave the country after a bloody rebellion.

"I was told that to avoid bloodshed I'd better leave," he said. "No one should force an elected president to move," Aristide added.

Asked about allegations he was kidnapped, he said in a text of the interview released by CNN: "As I said, I called this coup d'etat in a modern way, to have modern kidnapping."

On who kidnapped him, Aristide said: "Forces in Haiti. They were not Haitian forces. They were (unintelligible) and Americans and Haitians together, acting to surround the airport, my house, the palace.

"And then, despite of diplomatic conversations we had, despite of all we did in a diplomatic way to prevent them to organize that massacre which would lead to a bloodshed, we had to leave and spent 20 hours in an American plane.

"And not knowing where we were going with force, until they told us that 20 minutes before they landed in Central African Republic."

Earlier, several people, including two U.S. lawmakers, reported that Aristide told them by telephone that he did not leave Haiti voluntarily, but was "abducted" by U.S. troops.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, flatly denied Aristide had been forced to leave. White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the charge "complete nonsense."

But Aristide insisted, "I am telling you the truth."

"They lied to me," he added.

[NotchJohnson]

There are several issues here. First he was a Marxist who was elected and then just chose to be "elected" again and again. He was a mistake, but that is besides the point. If he says he was forced out and a few congressman say the sam, where does that put Bush?

[TonyM]

I guess we should take him back.

[cripplecreek]

Just tell him we've reconsidered, we're sending him back.

[brewcrew]

But Aristide insisted, "I am telling you the truth."

Never trust a guy who says "trust me."

[sinkspur]

If he says he was forced out and a few congressman say the sam, where does that put Bush?

In the driver's seat. The French government also encouraged Aristide to leave, which is why you hear silence from across the pond.

The truth is, the Marines were protecting his ass from murdering mobs. He signed a letter of resignation, and left of his own accord (the other choice was to stay and get killed).

The congressmen are members of the Black Caucus, and were likely getting kickbacks from Aristide, since they convinced Clinton to put him in office in the first place.

This is just a dictator, kicking up dust.

[cripplecreek]

The black caucus has a rich history with dictators. Robert Mugabe, Charles Taylor, and now Aristide.

[07055]

The congressmen are members of the Black Caucus, and were likely getting kickbacks from Aristide, since they convinced Clinton to put him in office in the first place.

They seem to think that if Aristide is deposed, the hated white man will take over the country. Not too likely.

[AF68]

Someone had a radio turned on at work today and I thought I heard Maxine Waters wailing like banshee. Now I know why.

[Sam Cree]

Go Bush, three in a row!

'Seriesly, though, leaving him in Port au Prince sounded like a sure fire recipe for bloodshed, or at least Aristide promised bloodshed in his attempt to extort the US into protecting his dictatorship.

I think GW did the right thing. Guess the media won't agree, though, not when another beloved commie is gone.

[sgtbono2002]

Another of Bush's mistakes, we should have stayed out of it till they seteled it themselves by killing this Sumbatch.

[Sam Cree]

"Never trust a guy who says "trust me."

Wonder if Aristide said "may lightning strike me, right where I stand, if I'm lying!"

[brewcrew]

Wonder if Aristide said "may lightning strike me, right where I stand, if I'm lying!"

Probably. And probably a few other things, too, like "I swear on a stack of Bibles." Guys like him are cut from the same cloth as most (not all) used car salesmen.

[goodnesswins]

I agree....let's put him back on the street in Port au Prince.....or at least offer to...

[AF68]

I wonder if "Nobel Peace Prize" Jimmy Carter will now intervene in an attempt to save Aristide's sorry commie behind. He saved Chavez' failed, brutal communist dictatorship in Venezuela when his own military overthrew him. No promised elections yet and Venezuela is still a brutal, communist dictatorship. Jiminy Peanut, a miserable, failed ex-president, never met a communist tyrant he didn't like.

[JimSEA]

The Black Caucus will not let up on this. Aristide is their guy. Now, what will the Democrats do? It puts Kerry in an interesting position.

[Mr. Jeeves]

So sorry, no Haitian drug money for Maxine's campaign this fall. She'll have to lean on the unions for a bigger slice of their members' dues.

[DesertDreamer]

I just read a CBS report that says Jesse Jackson was involved in breaking this story. hmmmmm

http://wcco.com/topstories/topstories_story_061071020.html

'...Aristide was put in contact Monday with The Associated Press by the Rev. Jesse Jackson following a news conference where the civil rights leader called on Congress to investigate Aristide's ouster...'

[Stellar Dendrite]

"'...Aristide was put in contact Monday with The Associated Press by the Rev. Jesse Jackson following a news conference where the civil rights leader called on Congress to investigate Aristide's ouster...'"

those dirty RAT DEMS
trying to play up this situation as a smokescreen to the gay marraige issue

that is nothing more than a signal to the media to run with this story.

[Stellar Dendrite]

hey, i love that quote from GW, got a list of them? when i search all i find are the "bushisms" (BARF!)

[don'tbedenied]

Even CNN wasn't buying this BS earlier tonight. Send the SOB back and his congress person friends with him. See if they like the Mussolini treatment.
The BS just never stops for a second from the Dems, not for a second.