Rumsfeld Wants South American Troops to Remain in Haiti

[Robbien]

BUENOS AIRES, Mar 22 (IPS) - During a visit to Buenos Aires on Tuesday, U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld praised Argentina's contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Haiti -- but said nothing about the long overdue aid promised by the wealthy nations for the devastated and unstable Caribbean nation.

”Argentina is playing a truly vital role in the multinational peacekeeping forces in Haiti,” Rumsfeld said after a meeting with Argentine Defence Minister José Pampuro. ”Theirs is an important service to the hemisphere of which the people of Argentina can be rightly proud,” he added.

Troops from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay are participating in the Brazilian-led U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti, the poorest country in the hemisphere, whose constitutional president, Jean Bertrand Aristide, was overthrown on Feb. 29, 2004.

Their task is becoming increasingly difficult, however, in the face of a new wave of violence.

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/interna.asp?idnews=27981

[LisaM]

1. Why? Is he afraid their ELECTED government will return?

Of all the things going on right under our noses, this is one of the most astonishing.

[fallout]

2. why the fuck do we have to police the world? nt