Aristide flies into mystery exile -- BBC

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3520923.stm

The Panamanian president says Haiti's former president is probably on his way to Africa to seek asylum after fleeing his country on Sunday.
Mireya Moscoso said Panama had agreed to a US asylum request for Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Another Central American nation, Costa Rica, also said it was willing to receive the former Haitian leader.



The biggest mystery... where is President Aristide? As you can see from this map, cut and pasted from the CIA World Fact Book, GITMO is a 2 hour helicopter flight away. Could he be there?

[Robb]

1. Hard to say

We've got a sort of pool going in GD. :shrug:

[I AM SPARTACUS]

2. BushCo will not want him close to home...

[mobuto]

3. If I were Aristide, I'd go to Costa Rica

I'd rather retire there than Panama, Morocco, South Africa or Taiwan.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

4. I imagine he is going somewhere that will accept him,

he will be a security nightmare... all exilled leaders are. I can't imagine the US wanting him in Africa where he might stir up more trouble (from their point of view, that is) and I can't imagine him wanting to stay in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in Central or South America where he is an easy target.

That leaves Asia. How about Vietnam? Speaking French and English, he would be a natural there.

Of course if he is in a cage at GITMO, this is all mute.

[mobuto]

5. How would he stir up trouble?

I've never heard of an exiled leader stirring up trouble in another country, unless he's prosecuted somewhere or assasinated. Aristide really isn't a troublemaker anyway. An ineffective leader? Certainly. But not a troublemaker.

and I can't imagine him wanting to stay in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in Central or South America where he is an easy target.


An easy target of whom?

That leaves Asia. How about Vietnam? Speaking French and English, he would be a natural there.

The climate's about right.

Of course if he is in a cage at GITMO, this is all mute.

Why would he be in a cage at GITMO?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. I said trouble from the point of view of the * admin, which, as we

know, the definition of which changes daily.

I am sure there are people who would be glad to hit Aristide for any number of reasons.

In a cage at GITMO... we do not know where he is, do we? He was last seen entering a US military aircraft in handcuffs... how much more obvious do you need?

[mobuto]

7. Who would?

In a cage at GITMO... we do not know where he is, do we? He was last seen entering a US military aircraft in handcuffs... how much more obvious do you need?

That's what one supposed witness said. Other witnesses place him in Antigua on a plane to Africa. We really don't know what the story is, and it would seem that the man has other priorities than issuing helpful press releases every fifteen minutes at this point. The man did use violence to crack down on his political opponents, but not to the point where anybody outside of Haiti wants him dead, as far as I can tell.

I am sure there are people who would be glad to hit Aristide for any number of reasons.


While the families of slain opposition leaders and journalists might despise Aristide, it seems doubtful that they'd travel long distances to put a hit on him.

[Zan_of_Texas]

9. he did not leave voluntarily

According to friends, his legal counsel, and three members of Congress on the Pacifica specials today, none of them had heard from him. Some were in contact with him several times a day by phone before his departure from the capital.

If he could, he would call SOMEONE, right?

Since he hasn't, it seems likely he and his wife are captive (or worst).

He will presumably be going wherever his captors say.

Two witnesses say he went off in handcuffs in early morning hours, with a US Marine "escort."

[mobuto]

10. Its pointless to debate this

If I'm correct, we'll be hearing from Aristide sometime in the next 24 hours.

[0007]

13. If you're correct? What do you know?

[mobuto]

14. Absolutely nothing

I just don't think he's sitting in a cage in GITMO.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

11. "never heard of an exiled leader stirring up trouble in another country"

ummm...how about an exiled leader living in another country, and working to get himself returned to power...and then, his host country invades said country and returns said exiled leader to power...

Now that might be called "an exiled leader stirring up trouble in another country"...might it not???

[mobuto]

12. Fair enough.

My point was a little hasty and I could probably think up a few exceptions myself if I thought long enough.

But that was still very different - Aristide had been elected in free and fair elections and enjoyed widespread sympathy. But now he has very little sympathy from anyone - and thus no power. He had ten years in power, during which there were two deeply flawed elections, during which he made no attempt at establishing democratic institutions, during which he did nothing to stabalize the country or bring prosperity to its impoverished people. Aristide had his chance, and nobody's going to put him back anytime soon.

[rman]

15. last time he was exciled he lived in Wash. DC

his "stiring up trouble" consisted of talking to Clinton to convince him to liberate Haiti.

[renegade000]

8. someone just rang the doorbell...