NYT: Haiti's President Forced Out; Marines Sent to Keep Order

[gristy]

This story by the NY Times is very different from what was reported today by Democracy Now
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x391307

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/29/international/americas/29WIRE-HAIT.html?hp

By LYDIA POLGREEN and TIM WEINER

Published: February 29, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 29 ? President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the slum priest who became his country's first democratically elected president, resigned today under intense pressure from the United States and the threat of an invasion of the capital by armed insurgents, fleeing by jet at dawn under heavy American guard.

President Bush ordered the deployment of the Marines to Haiti as part of an "interim international force" to restore order. Both France and Canada have agreed to send troops, too. The United Nations Security Council met in emergency session to consider a resolution for a multinational force.

Mr. Aristide was once hailed as the man who could deliver peace and freedom to his nation, a slave nation that liberated itself 200 years ago from its imperial oppressor only to stifle under a blanket of strife and poverty. But his presidency crumbled as he violently cracked down on political dissent and armed rebels seized Haiti's north this month. The Bush administration, which had earlier been reluctant to suggest that an elected president step down, has shifted its stance over the past several days, increasing the pressure and finally strongly urging him to step down.

more...

[ithacan]

1. NYT is all too often a mouthpiece for the official line

this supposedly "liberal" newspaper is a disgrace to the profession of journalism.

Wouldn't want to make the US look bad, even if it means covering up disastrous policies of the Bush fascistas...

[0007]

13. Now tell me FAUX News or CNN or MSNBC is better!

The New York Times is better than most -

[TheWebHead]

2. real-world edit

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the slum priest who became his country's first democratically elected president, was ambushed at gunpoint today under by the United States military and the threat of an invasion of the capital by Bush backed armed murderers and terrorist fearful of the imposition of minimum wage increases and taxes on the wealthy, frog marched by jet at dawn under heavy American threat.

[fearnobush]

3. Let them Have it!!

[rudeboy666]

4. question

Is it metaphysically possible for Democracy Now to be wrong?

It's obvious that the mainstream press is culpable by default. Nothing new here!

However, why does it seem that many here accept blindly the line from Democracy Now?

p.s. I am not absolving the mainstream press. I am only questioning what seems to be a blind acceptance of anything that has a tinge of 'alternative'.

[JaySherman]

5. One word: eyewitnesses

The fact that many reports are coming from eyewitness on the ground in Haiti would lend a great deal credence to them. Unless all those eyewitnesses are fabricating stories to serve their own political agenda. I would expect that from BushCo and the imperial media, but not from DN.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

6. Handcuffs or not, the US role is undeniable. And Haitians...

...will always remember - many taking it as an article of faith - that their elected president was "dechouk'd" (pulled-up by the roots) and led away in handcuffs by US soldiers.

[uhhuh]

8. I suppose so

But then we would have to discount the "tinfoil hat ravings" of elected officials. Maxine Waters, Charles Rangel, and Barbara Lee have essentially all said on air that this was a U.S. backed and initiated coup, and they seemed to have no doubts that the story being told while they were on the air was true.

Noone has seen or heard fron President Aristide, even his atty. or the above mentioned Congresspersons who were in daily contact with him. He was spirited away to an undisclosed location by U.S. forces. This is an admitted fact. It's even it the mainstream press. He has been heard from by NOBODY! I have no reason to doubt this account, and I will accept it until I hear or see evidence to the contrary.

[daleo]

10. I wonder if they will trump up a crime against him

In order to silence him. I suspect we will be told he was involved in drugs or something soon. Perhaps they will say he was consorting with Al Queda. Anyway, it will be something and soon.

I wonder if Kerry will rise to the occasion and object to this latest imperialism, or meekly go along. This is gut check time. I am not impressed by the new Canadian P.M., Paul Martin, who seems to be toadying up to Bush on this one.

[Tinoire]

7. NYT is complicit in covering for imerialist coups. Check this out

200 Years After Napoleon, Haiti Finds Little to Celebrate

By LYDIA POLGREEN - January 2, 2004
photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times
caption: Supporters of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Haitian leader, cheered outside the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince Thursday, celebrating the 200th anniversary of a victory over France that led to Haiti's independence.PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 1 - Two hundred years ago, an army of African slaves defeated French forces on this tropical island, ending Napoleon's ambition to dominate the Americas and paving the way for the first black republic.
On Thursday, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide led a tense and chaotic observance of that bicentennial, though many found little to celebrate in Mr. Aristide's governance over what, after 200 years of independence, remains an impoverished and troubled nation.

Speaking to a small but enthusiastic crowd, Mr. Aristide called Haiti "the mother of liberty," and appealed to opposition groups, which have mounted ever larger demonstrations against his government, to agree to new elections this year.

<snip>



http://www.haitiaction.net/News/NYT.html

A small crowd?

[AliceWonderland]

9. Is there an archive anywhere of today's Pacific broadcast?

I missed it, and I'd like to listen. I found archives of the Haiti shows for DN and Flashpoints for Friday, but not today's.

[WarNoMore]

11. There's extensive coverage

at Indymedia.(article by Al Giordano(sp) etc. I don't know how credible they always are, but they're usually timely on breaking stories of this nature.

[Matilda]

14. Indymedia is often one-sided, but Al Giordano is a pretty cluey reporter.

n/t

[Disturbed]

12. It's Obvious

We can no longer rely on our own mass Media to report the truth. The Corp. Media has gone along with the Neo Fascist Admin. in power for many years now. They have been complicit in the Multi-Natl. take over of Buschco.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Disturbed!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: