Bush Overthrew the Elected Leader of Haiti; Now He’s Expected to Help?

[Bragi]

George W. Bush Overthrew the Elected Leader of Haiti; Now He’s Expected to Help?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Critics of American foreign policy towards Haiti have had a hard time swallowing the selection of former President George W. Bush as co-chair of the United States’ relief efforts. They point out that it was during the Bush administration, in February 2004, that Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide was forced to leave the country by American soldiers—a claim denied by Bush supporters who insisted Aristide was escorted to Africa for his own safety.

On February 17, 2004, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell defended Aristide as the “free and fairly elected President of Haiti,” and added that “we cannot buy into a proposition that says the elected President must be forced out of office by thugs and those who do not respect law and are bringing terrible violence to the Haitian people...”

Yet only ten days after that, U.S. military personnel escorted Aristide to an airplane and out of Haiti, allowing an unelected rebel force to seize power. TransAfrica founder Randall Robinson has characterized the removal of Aristide as an abduction by the U.S., and has written a book on the subject: An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, from Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President

http://www.allgov.com/ViewNews/George_W_Bush_Overthrew_the_Elected_Leader_of_Haiti__Now_Hes_Expected_to_Help_100119

[ima_sinnic]

1. I totally agree

wondered why this was never mentioned.

just more legitimizing of a war criminal, and ignoring his whole sorry relationship to democracy in Haiti to begin with.

[louis-t]

2. Notice bush didn't go to Haiti?

Now you know why. There are people there that would use their last ounce of strength to slap him across the face.

[timeforpeace]

3. Has Aristide ever made this claim, or just this author?

[Bragi]

7. Aristide blames the US and France for his kidnapping /nt

[timeforpeace]

12. Interesting that those the US "kidnaps" and "overthrows" often end up living a life of luxury.

[malaise]

16. It's true

Fugg Bush!

[arthritisR_US]

4. ah, the irony of it all. n/t

[Robb]

5. OK, so here's a question.

If Aristide was kidnapped, that meant he wanted to stay in Haiti.

What exactly has stopped him from returning to Haiti in the past six years?

[HeresyLives]

6. The same people that threw him out? /nt

[Goldstein1984]

8. He could have sneaked back in and...

...stayed as a guest in the Brazilian Embassy. That's worked out very well for Zelaya in Honduras.

[sabrina 1]

9. He did want to come back but cannot. After he was ousted

by a U.S. backed coup, the country exploded in violence with supporters of Aristede and the opposition fighting and killing each other.

The U.S. under Bush would never allow him to return. The current president, Preval, was a friend at one time, of Aristedes.

There are still a lot of supporters of the Duvaliers in Haiti also. Many of them very brutal killers. Baby Doc, who left finally in 1986, is now living in France. He has said he would like to return.

The political situation there is very volatile with all those factions still operating. U.N. forces have been there as peace-keepers since Aristede was ousted. But there have been many charges of brutality against them also.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Bush has been out of office for almost a year now. Has Obama been stopping his return?

:shrug:

[sabrina 1]

17. The U.S. recognizes the current president

as far as I know. I have not heard Obama say anything about Aristedes but I'm not sure their laws would allow him to be re-instated anyhow.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. His term expired years ago anyway

[Kingofalldems]

22. That's right---Don't let these Democrats criticize your pal Bush

How dare they!!

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. Are you suggesting that Bush still runs US foreign policy?

:shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

25. No,emoticon boy. I'm suggesting something else.

:shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

[Robb]

14. I seem to recall we spent a lot of political capital

...getting him back into power after the military deposed him the first eim. Rattled some very big sabers, IIRC including the 82nd Airborne. That's why I never took much stock in the notion we backed the coup against him just a few years later, Bushies involvement or no. But I could be wrong, of course.

[sabrina 1]

19. I don't think there's any doubt that the U.S. was behind

the coups. Clinton reinstated him and then put enormous much pressure on him to go along with policies that were against the interests of Haiti, or face the usual 'punishments'. Same way the U.S. deals with many third world countries 'do it our way or else'.

[newtothegame]

10. I didn't know Bush wore camoflauge. n/t

[timeforpeace]

13. He did it all. He was everywhere at once. He was the only person in the US government.

[newtothegame]

15. Ah. I'm so enlightened now.

:)

[DelPotro]

18. Insitutional insanity

The US should only be talking about reparations and apologizing to the people of Haiti.

[immoderate]

20. I think this was Obama's little joke.

Obama knows that Bush is useless and doesn't want to be bothered about disasters. Obama forced Bush to at least get off the couch and make a few phone calls. I'm sure he hates it, but he couldn't refuse, because he badly needs to polish his "legacy."

--imm

[Vidar]

21. Recommended. One of Obama's dumbest, most insensitive ideas.