Haiti unrest

[bambo53]

Anyone have the short answer for the reasons behind the unrest in Haiti?

[TXvote]

1. We build up a monster

then we abandon them or take them down. Good for business.


A brutal short answer.

[bryant69]

3. This is actually a historical debate

There's always been two main political sugestions for what is wrong with any particular third world country (from our perspective). Either it's the fault of the United States or it's the fault of the nation involved. Both are simplistic.

Assuming it's all the United States kind of implies that they are incapable of acting for themselves. Assuming its all them removes us of the responsibility we have for our actions in foreign policy.

Even if the United States had followed a consistent policy of never touching Haiti, I'm pretty sure they'd have more than their share of problems (for one thing, we are hardly the only nation to mess around in the middle east); but that shouldn't remove us from our responsibility.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[SHRED]

2. Some of the reason

"Since assuming their posts a year or so ago, the Bush team has come under
fire for allegedly supporting a coup against Venezuela President Hugo
Chavez, blocking economic aid for the government of one-time radical priest
Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Haiti, and trying to undermine the campaigns of
leftist presidential candidates in Bolivia and Nicaragua."



http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/011003/011003f.htm



U.S. policy toward Haiti promotes economic instability
By Kim Ives

The dramatic landing of 235 Haitian refugees on Key Biscayne, Fla., on Oct.
29 threw a spotlight on the scandalous policy of indefinite detention, which
the Bush administration reserves solely for Haitian asylum seekers.

Less well understood, however, is how U.S. policy toward Haiti, both
political and economic, is responsible for the refugee crisis.

The Bush administration is contributing to misery in Haiti by blocking the
disbursement of some $500 million in international development aid and loans
because it doesn't like the Haitian president. "We have very serious
concerns about the leadership of Jean Bertrand Aristide," said Roger
Noriega, U.S. representative to the Organization of American States (OAS)
and former chief of staff of archconservative Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.
Whatever Noriega's problems with him are, Aristide was unquestionably
elected president by a democratic majority in 2000, unlike George W. Bush.

http://www.progressive.org/Media%20Project%202/mpin602.html

[zbdent]

4. Bush trying to undermine Clinton's non-bloody handling of the

problems in 93-94?

Probably trying to give the impression that "Look, we helped them out, and now the savages are returning to their 'true' nature."

Never mind that it's been several years since the US intervened and helped place the rightly elected President back into power, and since Clinton left the office, the "compassionate conservative" who is in charge and loves to say that things are done for "humanitarian reasons" likes to ignore actual humanitarian needs when the country in question has no oil.

Sorry, not so short of an answer.

[adriennel]

5. oh my....

ever since Clinton got involved, I've been less than enthusiastic about President Aristide. Imo, he has got to go.
I can't believe this sort of national unrest is happening so close to our country and the Administration does not see the need to do anything about this situation.
also, Haiti has had 30+ government coups since their independence 200 years ago. Unfortunately this transfer of power seems to be a common theme in their history.
I wonder how this is affecting the other half of the island,the Dominican Republic. I'm amazed these countries can occupy half of the same island, yet Haiti seems to experience so much more internal distress.