"This was a revolution that never was. A stage-managed coup d'etat"

[Mairead]

This was no Castro entering Havana after the overthrow of the Batista regime . This was a revolution that never was. A stage-managed coup d’état, whose real instigators – the US military – had only to stand on the steps of the same National Palace where just a few days earlier President Jean- Bertrand Aristide had held his last press conference, and watch as ‘regime change’ was implemented in Haiti yet again.

What really happened during the final hours of Aristide’s rule has become almost as controversial as what he did during his decade or so as leader. Did the so-called ‘saviour’ of Haitian democracy really jump from power to avoid a bloodbath, or was he pushed, having outlived his usefulness and political malleability? And just what was the extent of the US role in his demise?

Let’s be clear about this, what happened in Haiti was a coup d’état, and coups in a country like this don’t just happen, especially when the army has been disbanded for nearly a decade. The emergence of Philippe’s rebel army and his triumphant entry into Port-au-Prince had to be organised, his men retrained, resupplied and supported. Someone has to organise a coup.

It is not only by bombing and invasion that the neoconservative side of the Bush administration is able to get rid of governments it doesn’t like. Economic sanctions, political coercion and outright subversion can also be the order of the day.

http://www.sundayherald.com/40405

[RichM]

1. This AM, "coverage" of Haiti on Stephanopoulos consisted of NOTHING

but the idea that the US military was in Haiti to "restore stability." NOT SO MUCH AS A WORD was breathed, that the US was anything but the benign helper, standing, as always, on the side of good, justice & truth.

'1984' has truly arrived. Even Orwell would be astonished - he probably thought he was exaggerating a bit, to make a point.

[K-W]

2. The facts seem pretty damning.

Even if Aristide resigned, its pretty clear he did so because he was being told he and his family would die if he didnt. And now the US military will stabilize Haiti, while they refused to do so with Aristide there. The facts are so obvious its rediculous that this story isnt taking off.