CNN Breaking: Randall Robinson says Aristide forcibly removed

[worldgonekrazy]

No link...probably won't be one.

Randall Robinson (African activist) said that 20 fully armed U.S. Troops forcibly removed Aristide from power, put him on a plane, and took him to an undisclosed location in Africa (Aristide did not know where he was being taken). Said that Aristide could not receive calls and was only allowed to make a few, and was under armed guard.

"The United States participated in a coup to remove a democratically elected President, its clear as that," Robinson said.

Wolf Blitzer then said "sources in the gov't say Aristide left willingly and signed a letter of resignation before doing so."

Robinson responded by saying "of course they are going to say that, but it isn't true." Implied that the letter of resignation was signed "under duress."

[gasperc]

1. the right has HATED Aristide for so long..

boy, they are just out and out blatant these days, oh what hell we are in for with these fuck wads in power

[worldgonekrazy]

5. Why was Aristide removed?

This is what I don't get. What is the U.S. interest in Haiti? Was Aristide threatening to nationalize resources? Does Haiti have oil that I am unaware of? ;)

[displacedtexan]

11. resort hotel development deals

for which we must have a steady supply of slave labor?
Hence, no refugees will be accepted by other countries?

[Ediacara]

14. It's right next to Cuba

[ewagner]

16. I think there's just one simple answer

Because they could

[polmaven]

21. The administration

was beginning to take a lot of flack for not doing something to help control the situation before it had gotten this far out of hand.

That criticism would have escalated if Aristides had been assassinated, and the U.S. had stood arrogantly by and let it happen.

Oh, but see how generous we have been to provide an armed contingent to see to his safety as he voluntarily resigned and left the country, even though we did not support his presidency.

If this story is true, and I will say "if" at this point, it is a very serious situation.

[trumad]

2. It will all come out

unless of course they shoot him.

3. and if they shoot him now

it will still come out, it would be like locking the door after the animals have escaped, don't you think?

[Gman]

4. I would love to hear Bill Clinton's take on this

since Bill is the one that sent troops into Haiti to restore order in '94. Bill knows the situation as well as anyone and he would be the person that could tell us what is going on and why.

[Az_lefty]

23. Bill doesn't know whats going on

The only reason Clinton sent troops in back in 94' was the Black Caucus made him do it. This is an internal problem with Haiti, they need to resolve it themselves.

[Bridget Burke]

25. Since our troops kidnaped their President

It is no longer an internal problem.

[Az_lefty]

38. Your Assuming that Robinson knows what he's talking about...

He needs to provide some proof of this.

[aquart]

44. Welcome to DU.

It isn't an internal problem if the rebels were trained, armed, and paid by the U.S.

[Beetwasher]

6. I'm Glad this Is Getting Some Major Coverage

This is an important story.

[mike1963]

7. Charlie Rangel on now saying same thing.

...

[bunk76]

12. Mr. Robinson....

told Blitzer not more than fifteen minutes ago that the phone was smuggled into him.Why did he not tell Foley this little tidbit of information when he questioned Charlie about how Aristide got a phone?
Once again Wolf,you are a true whore.

[DuctapeFatwa]

8. Old AIPAC hand Wolf knows just how to handle these tinfoil hat conspiracy

theories.

An immediate investigation is needed to root out who passed unauthorized telephone equipment to a foreign national who the State Department had determined presented an imminent threat to US business interests.

Rangel, Waters and Robinson and their families must be interrogated intensively.

[VeniceBeat]

19. Ha Ha! Mark Foley Resorts, LLC

is salivating at those promised beach real estate bargains!

[mac2]

9. Bush did the same thing to our leaders in Congress...

on 9/11. We should have seen the coup then.

[aquart]

10. George Bush is the enemy of democracy anywhere.

If what he did to Aristide, and is attempting to do to Chavez in Venezuela, isn't a crime, what is?

[deutsey]

13. Yeah, and what does that tell us about our upcoming election?

Does anyone actually think these thugs are going to comply with election results they don't like? They didn't in 2000...

[tomlu8]

15. Too bad Bush couldn't be removed

I'd like to see some third world country frog march Bush out of the country under arms. He seems to think he can set up puppet regimes in other countries at will. When is the UN going to protest and protect legitimate elected governments unlike our own selected one.

[alcuno]

18. Welcome to DU, tomlu8

I just LOVE the Packers and cannot stand the * administration. One stands for much that is good in the world and the other one doesn't.

[tomlu8]

28. Packers

Yeah, I'm a diehard Packer Backer. I worked on the Lambeau renovation project for 3 years. They have a beautiful stadium now, and who can say enough about Favre?

[never cry wolf]

33. Grrrrrrrrrr

If this Bears fan has to ally with a packer backer to oust old bunnypants, well, yes, it IS that important.

Welcome to DU, tomlu8!!

:hi:

[Fuzz]

42. Vince Lombardi gave my neighbor away at her wedding

True story. :)

[ewagner]

22. Welcome to DU

:toast:

jump in the fray and enjoy!

[KansDem]

17. "...signed a letter of resignation before doing so."

Remember the old Cheech and Chong skit...

Sign zee papers, old man...

on edit: Do the Bushistas REALLY expect us to believe this?????

[Zero Gravitas]

20. WTF?

I was going to say that this is "unbelievable" but coming from War President Bush* I suppose its not.

What is their motivation for this though? Is it just that sitting by while a bloodbath occurs in our own back yard just doesn't look good in an election year?

[Bromd]

26. Aristide Removal

If it is true then eventually at least one of those 20 marines will comment. The Bush Administration can' keep ball gags shoved in the mouths of witnesses forever... unless of course it's a black ops team and they have that nice threat of death for speaking about it for 20 years.

[barbaraann]

31. Ummm.....

http://bushbodycount.com/

[joeunderdog]

24. 1pm: A talking head on CNN saying this is IMPEACHABLE for GWB.

Missed the first part, but the guy was at a press conference of some sort. Didn't recognize him.

WOW

[barbaraann]

27. GASP!

Well, I would really like to hear what Clinton, Kerry, and Edwards have to say, too.

[Dhalgren]

29. Right, this is against both US and International Law.

.

[windansea]

30. Aristade radio broadcast

In his first public comments since he left Haiti, Aristide said in a radio broadcast in Bangui that the rebels who forced him to flee had "chopped down he tree of peace, but it will grow again."

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040301/1/3ifbf.html

[Oilwellian]

36. You just haven't stopped posting propaganda

Personally, I'll believe Waters, Lee & Rangel when they say they've spoken to Aristide from a phone SMUGGLED to him and he's saying he was FORCED out of Haiti by US troops. Who to believe...American media propaganda or direct words from the man who was THERE???

I find your continuous posting of propaganda HIGHLY suspect.

[windansea]

39. AFP is american propaganda now?

bhaahahahahaahaha...its a french company....here's another fact for you...Aristade has never lied during his entire life...he is a saint!!

[wabeewoman]

32. Rule by bullying

The MO of this administration. We won't be taking on anybody we can't beat up. Heck, we won't even talk to them if we can't beat them easily! Besides what's the big deal? We already started the policy when we overthrew the sovereign head of Iraq. Whether they physically overthrew Aristide, they gave approval by saying he was weak and should step aside. I'll bet we want Haiti because of its strategic location to Cuba. Castro is likely next.

[Dhalgren]

34. And don't forget Venezuela.

.

[w4rma]

35. Good grief. BushCo is collectively insane. (n/t)

[JackRiddler]

37. French wire reports Aristide taken at gunpoint

FYI

US troops 'made Aristide leave'
>From correspondents in Paris March 1, 2004
Agence France-Presse
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8833298%5E1702,00.html

HAITIAN leader Jean Bertrand Aristide was taken away from his home by US soldiers, it was claimed today.

A man who said he was a caretaker for the now exiled president told
France's RTL radio station the troops forced Aristide out. "The American army came to take him away at two in the morning," the man
said. "The Americans forced him out with weapons."

"It was American soldiers. They came with a helicopter and they took the security guards. (Aristide) was not happy. He did not want to be taken away. He did not want to leave. He was not able to fight against the Americans."

The RTL journalist who carried out the interview described the man as a "frightened old man, crouched in a corner" who said he was the "caretaker of the residence".

Aristide fled Haiti today in the face of an armed revolt. The United States has ordered Marines to the Caribbean state to help restore order.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8833298%5E1702,00.html

[Fuzz]

40. Freepers finally talking about this

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1088428/posts

Some choice comments:

i was fearful of this. they should have arranged for him to be taken by the mobs. dead men tell no tales.

4 posted on 03/01/2004 1:35:36 PM EST by oceanview


HEY...I gues the BLACK WORLD TODAY are ignorant assholes...it is a TRUE cut and paste...
Guess you should take it up with them...

7 posted on 03/01/2004 1:36:16 PM EST by antivenom


**"I was kidnaped by U.S. Marines and forced to leave Haiti," Jean-Bertrand Aristide told Congresswoman Maxine Waters in a phone call Monday morning from the Central African Republic. "I did not resign." Photo: President Aristide lofting flag during bicentennial celebration. **
Kidnaped? Sounds like spell check was needed by the article's author.

I'm sure Aristide found a soft shoulder in Waters. Perhaps Jackson-Lee, The Rev Jackson, Al Sharpton and others can create a support group.

11 posted on 03/01/2004 1:37:34 PM EST by mrs tiggywinkle


Reporters are saying that Maxine Brown is claiming that Aristide was lead away in handcuffs.

Rumsfeld says no.

He said that they had a letter of resignation IN HAND before they sent anybody anywhere.

The blacks are going to make this an issue.

24 posted on 03/01/2004 1:44:25 PM EST by Howlin (Just another unrepentant Bush supporter.)


The whole reason of Maxine Waters meddling in this...this is going to be the NEXT issue the Dems are going to use to "show GW as being a failure at foreign issues"...
The Dems are pulling the classic...rile up the homos...now rile up the blacks...well orchestrated...

26 posted on 03/01/2004 1:46:48 PM EST by antivenom ("Never argue with an idiot, he'll bring you down to his level - then beat you with experience.")


Just reporting the news hows I finds it...(lil step and fetchit-ism included)

22 posted on 03/01/2004 1:43:53 PM EST by antivenom

[Rich Hunt]

41. ugh

:puke:

[Fuzz]

43. I know

Dontcha just love how the phrase "lil step and fetchit-ism" appears?

[Moderator]

45. Dupe... locking.

Please keep all discussion of the "Aristide Kidnapped?" story consolidated into the original LBN thread, which can be found here:

Dem Now - Aristide confirms to Maxine Waters that he was kidnapped

It would be very helpful for consolidation if you could post any and all links within the original thread.

Thanks!

DU Moderator