Could someone explain why Aristide's return to his homeland

[malaise]

tomorrow has anything to do with the US government?

[Democracyinkind]

Because his leaving the country had a lot to do with the US government?

This might sound cynical, but it's not meant that why. I wish it were different - but the imperialists in Washington do seem to think of Haiti as a place that doesn't get to chose its own ways.

[HereSince1628]

1. The US tends to want to select it's neigboring leaders

particularly if that leader is going to have extraordinary powers (whether that be dictatorial or 'corrupting' influence).

[Igel]

2. For the same reason that Gaddafi or

Chavez has anything to do with the US government.

Except in the case of Haiti the response may be far too interesting. Both Duvalier and Aristide have "supporters" that resemble nothing so much as gangs with paramilitary aspirations. Both feel wronged and deprived of what they richly deserve, and have people around them who say, "Don't you know it!"

In a society that is poor, fractured, with a lot of unemployed and dislocated people, the potential for violence when *either* returns is high.

Now, there'll be an easy out for those who supported Aristide's return as "empowering" if that happens. "We have to find not that root cause, but a different root cause." Then what Aristide does, his supporters do, and how everybody's affected is the US's fault because, well, as Haitians they simply can't be held responsible. (One of the more deeply dehumanizing phrases ever devised, as they go from empowering to not just disempowering, but removing the very philosophical underpinnings of empowerment.)

[Matariki]

3. He accused the US of kidnapping him (which was probably true)

and one of the people involved in the coup against him, Guy Philippe, was heavily involved in drug trafficking between South American to the US via Haiti - and IMO makes him an associate of the Bush Cartel.

[Jazzgirl]

4. Remember when Powell told Aristide to leave?

I think he personally flew to Haiti and told him to give it up and leave. In fact didn't the US fly him out of Haiti under force?

[malaise]

5. Yes

They did