Haitian rebels in standoff with US forces

[dArKeR]

By Jim Loney and Alistair Scrutton

Port-au-Prince - Rebels patrolled the streets of Haiti's capital while American and other foreign forces held the airport and National Palace on Wednesday in an uneasy standoff three days after Haiti's president was ousted.

United States Marines had not begun street patrols of the capital despite a pledge to increase their presence after rebel leader Guy Philippe declared himself Haiti's military chief and his men spread out in Port-au-Prince frisking people for weapons.

"We have not been missioned to patrol as yet," Marine Staff Sergeant Timothy Edwards said in a briefing at the airport, where Marines slept in tents or in the open air on the tarmac.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=qw1078337701160B231&set_id=1

[Joanne98]

1. Amnesty International wants the "rebels" arrested

n/t

[alittlelark]

3. So do I - So do many that want to see them at the Hague

Will we doit, or will it be the French???!

[htuttle]

2. In the House hearing on Haiti this afternoon

Roger Noriega assured everyone that the US military mission there had begun to stabilize the situation.

It sounds like they are still sitting in their base. (re-reading) They are -- they are still sitting at the airport.

They are going to have to actually go out on the streets to do any good, I'd imagine...:eyes:

Well, Noriega's assurance that the remaining members of Haiti's government are well protected also seems to be full of crap:

With government ministers in hiding and no president at the palace, Prime Minister Yvon Neptune said Haiti was running "as best as it can at the moment."

"There is no legislature. The ministers are in hiding. I am in my office but my latitude to function is severely curtailed," he said in a telephone interview from his office. The United States is working with some prominent Haitians to build a new administration.

Wha? 'us working with prominent Haitians to build a new administration'? There is a constitutional process that Noriega swore would be respected, yet we are building a new administration with 'prominent Haitians'? Is Pedro Carmona there?

In addition, a few hours ago, I believe I read that the Haitian general consul in NY state that the government still recognized Aristide as president. CARICOM also stated this evening that they continued to recognize Aristide as president, and demanded his return.

So, why is the Bush administration building a new administration with prominent Haitians? Where do they derive the authority to do so?

[Say_What]

4. Heard Maxine on KPFA and she said that when Sheila Jackson Lee

was questioning Noriega she asked him something and he told her it was none of her business!!! Unf*ck'nbelievable. She also said that Noriega did not answer the questions very well. Wonder if there's a transcript somewhere. Think I'll go see if I can find one... stay tuned. :-)

[Say_What]

5. Aristide's cabinet are all in hiding was also reported on KPFA's Flashpoin

Neptune is in hiding and they don't know where he is, but you're right--Aristide is still being recognized as the president of Haiti and Mike Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights feels that the UN and the OAS will not recognize this newly formed US puppet government. Seems this thing is the essence of high crimes and misdemeanors.

[Just Me]

6. Noriega is a prostitute,...and a pretense,...

,...he sold his soul and doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself. He serves the master that attaches no more than a wink at human life.