Haitian leader's wife said country was quieting: Schakowsky

[Say_What]

<clips>

On Saturday evening, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) talked on the phone with Mildred Trouillot Aristide, wife of the besieged Haitian president.

During the 10-minute call, Mrs. Aristide said things were quieting down in the capital, Port-Au-Prince.

"It sounded like she was more optimistic," Schakowsky said Sunday. "There was no hint that by morning they would be gone."

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's fate apparently was sealed when the White House issued a harsh statement blaming him in large part for Haiti's deadly crisis and suggesting he consider stepping down.

"This is a sad day for those who believe in democracy," Schakowsky said. "The Bush administration had the choice of defending the democratically elected government in Haiti or supporting its overthrow. It chose the latter."

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-jan01.html

[veganwitch]

1. go jan!

found this quote interesting:

"He was ruling through a stolen election and using drug money."

[Logansquare]

3. Yes, that's Republican gall for you

let me finish his sentence for him:
"whereas our president is ruling through a stolen election, but using war-profiteering money!"

[w4rma]

2. Grounds for the impeachment of Bush? (n/t)

[mopinko]

5. second that

that and...

[Say_What]

4. Reuters article with more information--forced resignation

<clips>

... "The president said to me that he had been abducted from his home by about 20 American soldiers in full battle gear with automatic weapons and put on a plane" on Sunday morning, Robertson said.

"Across the aisle from him and Mrs. Aristide sat the American soldier who apparently was the commander of the contingent. They were not told where they were going, nor were they allowed to make any phone calls before they left the house or on the plane," he said.

He said Aristide had told him the plane made two stops before landing in the Central African Republic and that the Americans had instructed them not to raise the blinds to look out when the plane was on the ground.

"Not until they arrived did the president learn where he was," Robertson said. "He said to me twice before he had to get off the phone, 'Tell the world that it's a coup. That American soldiers abducted (me)."'

Rangel, a Democratic member of the House (of Representatives) from New York, said he heard a similar account from Aristide by telephone. Aristide told him he was "disappointed that the international community had let him down, that he was kidnapped, that he resigned under pressure."

Maxine Waters, a Democrat from California and like Rangel a member of the congressional black caucus, also said she had heard by telephone from Aristide that he had been kidnapped, a spokeswoman for Waters said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040301/ts_nm/haiti_aristide_kidnap_dc

[Oilwellian]

6. Resigned under pressure

According to the caretaker's comments, they took Aristide from the palace at 2:00 AM. Powell's statement just an hour ago said Aristide left Haiti at 6:00 AM. Did it take them 4 hours to get this "resignation under pressure?"