Bush undermined Haiti democracy (JESSE JAGMO ALERT)

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | March 2, 2004 | JESSE JACKSON

[Chi-townChief]

So much for all that talk about democracy. President Bush dispatched Marines to Haiti to secure order -- after his administration forced the elected leader of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide -- into exile. Now the administration will determine who gets to run Haiti.

For the Bush administration it was clear: The Haitian voters had put their faith in and cast their votes for the wrong man, so he had to go. Bush then ridiculously announced that the ''Haitian constitution is working'' -- as if words could turn night into day.

Aristide was a huge disappointment to his followers. He made, as the leaders of the State Department say, ''many mistakes.'' Mostly he failed to find a way to reconcile the greed of the Haitian elite with the needs of the vast majority of impoverished Haitian people. He could never curb the violence of either his followers or his enemies. And he presided over an administration that grew more intolerant and corrupt. But he was the choice of the Haitian people.

The U.S. government never liked Aristide. The neocons loathed him as a messianic dreamer who believed in redistribution of wealth. The CIA's covert operators viewed him as an ideological adversary. The Haitian elites enlisted lobbyists from both parties to undermine him. The Haitian military, which he disbanded, despised him.

So when the Haitian ''opposition,'' led by that same elite, fed the thugs, former death squad killers, gun-runners and drug dealers who formed the armed rebellion against Aristide, the United States did nothing.

As the rebellion started taking over cities, freeing prisoners and condoning widespread looting, the Bush administration -- alarmed at the political fallout that might result from Haitian refugees flooding into Florida -- decided to act. It pressured Aristide to accept a coalition government that would be led by the opposition.

But the opposition leaders, smelling blood, refused, demanding Aristide's departure. They suffered no negative consequences. The Bush administration did nothing to suggest it would stand by the elected leader of Haiti. Instead, it ramped up the pressure on Aristide and forced him into exile. A democratically elected leader was toppled with the aid of the U.S. administration.

Now the United States is once more responsible for Haiti's fate. Once more, the elites are clamoring for a return to their former privilege. Once more the United States will have to decide how or whether to build a police force that can provide security. Once more the United States will have to decide if it has the will and the patience and the generosity to build basic infrastructure in Haiti essential to creating any kind of a functioning economy that operates beyond the level of legalized theft.

The toppling of a democratically elected president -- however flawed his administration -- should not be treated as business as usual. We need congressional hearings to probe the administration's role in this debacle. Was the CIA connected to its former agents that were leading the rebellion? Did Bush hold off any assistance to Aristide in order to force his exit?

With Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, and Republican leaders still marching in lockstep with the White House, rigorous hearings will be hard to achieve. Independent commissions and investigative journalists must take up the task.

This coup sends a chilling message to leaders across the world. Turns out all that rhetoric about supporting democracy as a centerpiece of U.S. policy is just words, not policy.

This administration values governments that protect private investment and stability for U.S. multinationals. Stable dictatorships are preferred to unstable democracies. So it runs up massive trade deficits and maintains cordial relations with the repressive, communist dictatorship of China, while it topples the elected president of Haiti.

As we learned in Florida four years ago, Bush is all for elections, but only if they come out the right way.

[Chi-townChief]

"So when the Haitian ''opposition,'' led by that same elite, fed the thugs, former death squad killers, gun-runners and drug dealers who formed the armed rebellion against Aristide, the United States did nothing."

Hmmm ... I thought the "thugs, former death squad killers, gun-runners and drug dealers" were Aristide's boys. I guess you can't tell the players without a scorecard.

[2banana]

Now the United States is once more responsible for Haiti's fate

Why not the people of Haiti?

[FourtySeven]

Hey Jesse, how's that sweater stained with Martin Luther King's blood doin? You should put that on eBay man. You'd make a fortune! Just think of all that money you could raise for the poor, oppressed black man! That IS what you're all about, isn't it Jesse?

[goldstategop]

It must pain Jesse Jackson the people of Haiti turned their backs on his preferred leader. And I see J.J's still obssessed with Floriduh. This is too good to be true!!!

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Now the United States is once more responsible for Haiti's fate

Give them some diapers and pablum.

Jesse is right.

Is there any black country in the world other than a former British colony, that can self govern?

[Robe]

Mostly he failed to find a way to reconcile the greed of the Haitian elite with the needs of the vast majority of impoverished Haitian people.

He managed to make himself a millionaire, however

[EEDUDE]

Jesse Jackson is a whore living off the lives of those he purportedly champions.

[FourtySeven]

Jesse Jackson is a whore living off the lives of those he purportedly champions.

Bump to that!

[Puppage]

Bush undermined Haiti democracy

Haiti has NEVER BEEN A DEMOCRACY

Aristide is a marxist, who when he didn't want to give up power, held phoney elections....

Oh, and YES....he's a Friend of Bill's

[NYDave]

""Now the United States is once more responsible for Haiti's fate. Why not the people of Haiti?""

Why not the French or a UN coalition? Why not Canada? They have their share of French. Sticky, sticky situation. There are no easy solutions to the mess that country is in. And don't ask for much help from the Dominican Republic. Their economy is in the toilet as well.
I divide my time between there and the US and the country is in the worst shape I've seen it in my going on 17 years of involvement there.

[zarf]

Ahh, yes: Haiti as a political club by which to utilize during a campaign year.

Strange how Haiti seems to always be a problem during election years.

[conservativecorner]

I would of figured that Jesse would already be in Haiti buying all the used tires that Aristide no longer needs.

[onedoug]

Jackson and his fellow race-baiters have evidently been cut-off from either money that Aristide was stealing, or some other type of self aggrandizement provided by US taxpayers. Otherwise they wouldn't give a damn.

[cwb]

"For the Bush administration it was clear: The Haitian voters had put their faith in and cast their votes for the wrong man, so he had to go."

From what I understand, this so-called election was universally condemned as fraudulent. And since when has "democratic elections" ever stopped Democrats from deposing who they considered threats? Slobo was also elected...and not only did we attempt to depose him, we bombed the rest of the country into the stoneage so the voters got the message, not to reelect him.

Even if true (NOT), at least Bush didn't have to destroy innocent lives to accomplish the same result...were Slobo still retained his presidency for almost a year after the conflict. These despot-worshipping liberals need to get their heads out of their arse.

[angkor]

The transshipment of coke wasn't reduced one iota under Aristide, which I'm sure was just fine for Jesse and the CBC.

I read somewhere that the Haitian drug biz (and money laundering) exceeds the official GDP.

[NYDave]

""Jackson and his fellow race-baiters have evidently been cut-off from either money that Aristide was stealing, or some other type of self aggrandizement provided by US taxpayers. Otherwise they wouldn't give a damn.""

No, these guys will do anything to get press, anything at all.

[clintonh8r]

Let him rant. Does he really think he's costing W any black votes? If anything, between Jesse Jerkoff and the CBC, the president should be reaping lots of fence-sitting white votes. So keep it up, Jesse, Rev Al, and Maxipad. You're showing yourselves for what you are....America-hating black racists.

[EEDUDE]

CBC = Conning Black Constituents

[NotchJohnson]

He waits for things like this to happen. I thought Al Sharpton was sucha joke he could make Jesse look serious. Boy was I wrong.

[mhking]

Tell the lies enough times and they become the defacto truth...

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