Bush Believes Aristide Should Resign

[Pale_Rider]

If only Aristide believed that Bush should resign ... <sigh>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3797759,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration believes the best way to avoid an armed rebel takeover in Haiti is for President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to resign and transfer power to his constitutional successor, a senior U.S. official said Friday.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps indicated that it is preparing a possible mission to waters off the coast of Haiti. Any such deployment would be aimed at deterring a potential refugee crisis and to protect the estimated 20,000 American citizens in Haiti.

Secretary of State Colin Powell signaled that direction in administration policy in remarks Thursday night, said the U.S. official, who discussed the situation only on grounds of anonymity.

It was not clear whether the more assertive U.S. policy has been communicated directly to Aristide.

[camero]

1. Next stage of the Blitzkrieg

can anyone say Chavez?

[adriennel]

2. that's not what Bush said yesterday!

I swear yesterday I heard BushCo say that Aristide was the democratically elected president, the problem is with them rebels, I mean terrorists (anyone pick up on the fact that Aristide himself is calling them terrorists, not rebels? interesting.)
I've thought all along Aristide should step down (seems like the easiest solution, sorry if I'm way off on this one.) Clinton helped Aristide to power. We need to do something for Haiti now, they are desperate!

[Bandit]

8. "Clinton helped Aristide to power."

Clinton did not help Aristide to power. Aristide was Democratically elected to a five year term in 1988, long before Clinton came to power. The thugs that are causing the trouble now are the same ones that in 1990 staged a coup and drove Aristide from power. He came to America and rented a small apartment in Washington DC pleading all the time for Bush 1 to come to his aid and the aid of Democracy. Bush 1 did nothing and the boat people flooded Florida. Clinton was elected and decided that Democracy was in the interest of the world and demanded the War Lord that was ruling Haiti with death squads and such shood step down. He refused and Clinton called up the 82nd Airborne and launched an assault. Before they actually arrived the War Lord left the area and Aristide reclaimed the presidency that he had been elected to. He was elected to a five year term and had served three of those years before being ousted so had only two years left. He served those two years and then stepped down (in an orderly manner) as their constitution required. A man named Rene' Preval was elected for a five year term. After his term was up the people asked for Aristide to run again and he did and was elected by a huge majority. He has served four of his five years now. The same thugs that staged the first coup are trying again. They know they would never be elected by the people and the only way they can gain power is by armed insurrection. We either support Democracy or we don't. Aristide has only one year left and has done nothing to suggest corruption or malfeasance. We should support the orderly change of power and not armed thuggery.

[joanski01]

11. You got it right, Bandit.

Sen. Tom Harken said about the same thing from the Senate Floor this afternoon.

[Judi Lynn]

12. This should help someone who's not followed Haitian recent history.

What a profound sorrow our right-wing inflicts on this hemisphere, and the other one, too.

[damnyankee2601]

3. Bush believes what his handlers tell nim. nt

[nolabels]

4. A majority didn't vote for him. I along with a whole lot of other ........

People think this should happen. There enough us peoples out there to make and fill up, ten, even a hundred, and or more Haiti's who are of like mind and think that should happen. So does that qualify as a reason for * to step down yet, already, how about ?

On edit btw:We were debating the non-merits of *, were we not?

On second edit: I guess I missed a couple commas. I thought it read "Bush Believes, Aristide, Should Resign" and * was just going to Aristide for his blessing, considering Aristide is a man of the cloth and such. That born again stuff just has me all confused :silly:

[uhhuh]

9. Even Better

"Bush ,believes Aristide, should resign. Now that's a headline I could get behind. I'm sure it would be true too.

[callous taoboy]

5. Why don't we

just bomb them?

[MasonJar]

6. Well, I think Bush/Cheney et al should resign.

[yellowcanine]

7. Beat me to it. At least Aristide was elected - Harkin

I read on another thread that Tom Harkin said that at least Aristide was elected. The pubs are, predictably, outraged.

[iamjoy]

10. Haiti is closer than you think...

you know, when Aristide was re-elected in 2000 supposedly his opponents said the election was rigged.

Hmmm, a rigged election, a ruler many believe to be incompetent...


Quote from Colin Powell
He is the democratically elected president, but he has had difficulties in his presidency. And ... whether or not he is able to effectively continue as president is something that he will have to examine," Powell said Thursday outside the State Department. "I hope that he will examine it carefully considering the interests of the Haitian people."

Change one word in Powell's statement and it would be the most profound thing this administration has ever said

[bushwakker]

13. He should take his own advice*