Top U.S. officer tells Aristide to keep quiet

[Tinoire]

Top U.S. officer tells Aristide to keep quiet

By Sandra Hernandez
Associated Press
Posted March 19 2004, 11:22 AM EST

Calling on ousted Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide to "keep his mouth closed," the head of the U.S. Southern Command said international intervention in Haiti was necessary to avoid a Rwandan-like situation.

"It would be a lot more helpful if Mr. Aristide was a statesman ... and he could do that by keeping his mouth closed," Gen. James T. Hill said Thursday during a speech at a security conference in Miami.

<snip>

"We simply can't have these failed states," he said. "If we are not careful you will have a Rwandan type of human catastrophe in the middle of the advanced world."

<snip>

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/caribbean/sfl-319aristide,0,4983371.story?coll=sfla-news-caribbean

[AspenRose]

1. Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry....

[librechik]

2. The Clenis did it!

Rwanda-type catastrophe can be blamed on Clinton!

sheesh

[mmm]

3. I hope he starts talking; often and loud!

[0007]

11. Don't worry, he has a long story to tell and soon the world will know

every detail of the coup d'état, and why and how of Haiti's ordeal.

I would bet that Kissinger had a strong voice in this coup d'état.

[bemildred]

4. His voice sounds a bit squeaky, he must be nervous.

I wonder how long Latortue and his junta will last.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. Uh huh.

Riiiight... Because when the government wants to shut someone up, they always announce it in a newspaper.

[DemBones DemBones]

24. It's one way that a nat'l power deals with a person they want to silence.

.
Sometimes they exile the person to another country, which was done first in Aristide's case.

Sometimes they discredit the person. There were efforts made to discredit Aristide over a period of years, and they continue.

Note that all of these things have been done publicly in the Aristide case. There most likely were covert pressures and incidents as well that were not publicized.

Sometimes they suggest the person should keep mum. The general made his suggestions (or threat, if you like) in public. Aristide's been warned.

Will there be more pressure and intimidation or will Aristide do as he is told? Stay tuned.

[bemildred]

25. Colon Bowel called him a "pathological liar" today.

I think Aristide intends to be quiet and let CARICOM
carry the weight for now, which seems right to me too,
PR-wise and otherwise.

[susu369]

26. Takes one to know one

Sounds like Colon is showing classic pyschological projection by calling someone else a "pathological liar."

[bemildred]

27. Colon has been having a really bad week.

I think it's made him a bit testy.
I don't think he uses as much chemical attitude adjustment
as some of his colleagues.

[susu369]

37. To clarify my post

I did not mean to imply that I thought Aristide was a pathological liar as is the proven liar Colin Powell.

IMHO, I believe Aristide is being demonized by very wicked people.

[Judi Lynn]

41. God, I heard that slur, too.

That's the FIRST TIME I've ever heard such a serious man called a "pathological liar."

_Bush and his sick, unprincipled enforcers should have NEVER been allowed anywhere near the decision making level in our government. NEVER. They are diseased.

[Just Me]

45. Powell's inner demons are being projected.

Powell chose the ignoble path which he can only bear by projecting his own weakness upon those who serve something greater than merely themselves. Powell is weak. My guess is that, he is freakin' out that his respect and integrity are being questioned.

[Zhade]

46. "There were efforts made to discredit Aristide over a period of years..."

And some of those efforts by disinformation agents continue right here on DU.

Of course, most of us are informed enough to discredit such attempts, and have done so. Especially people like Tinoire - she knows what's up, "fo' shizzle"!

[yellowcanine]

6. "Shut up Boy!"

If you know what's good for you.

[saigon68]

17. "keep his mouth closed,"

Thanks general, its good to see the people elected you

[seemslikeadream]

7. Close your mouth, shut your eyes

A boy on a bicycle passes the body of a man on a street in Cap Haitien, Haiti

An armed Rebel opposed to Jean Bertrand Aristide's government patrols in the Cap Haitien. US President George W. Bush called for deploying an international force in Haiti only if a peace deal ends deadly unrest(AFP/Jaime Razuri)

[struggle4progress]

8. James Hill should keep his mouth shut.

:grr:

[annagull]

9. So he is comparing words to machetes?

If Aristide is a "failed leader" why are they worried about anything he says?

[donsu]

10. what vile crap comes out of this General's mouth

nt

[blm]

12. I doubt anyone really believes that Aristide left willingly.

Not the way the Bush thugs operate.

[struggle4progress]

13. And considering that the CAR told Aristide to shut up ...

just as Hill has. By golly, what a coincidence!

[Chovexani]

31. You'd be surprised.

There's people on DU who think that. When they get bored with that set of talking points they usually hop on into the Chavez threads.

It's actually kind of amusing. :silly:

[Judi Lynn]

44. I've never met an actual Democrat who advocates

dealing with the Caribbean and Latin America with an iron fist. Doubt there ARE any Democrats who do!

By the way, the big, loud, pushy, windy one had to leave. I'm sure if it's possible to reincarnate, to repost, he'll be back. We're probably the only people who have ever listened to him.

[Zhade]

47. Wait - windansea got banned...?

You mean, the mods realized what we figured out a while ago - that he was a disinformation agent?

If so, good. About time!

[Postman]

14. Then why weren't the US troops in Haiti before the coup?

Because the US was behind the coup.

Check out Democracy Now's website -

http://www.democracynow.org/search.pl?query=Haiti

[proud patriot]

29. Amy Goodman should get an award for her reporting on this issue IMHO

Democracy Now has been great .

[Voltaire99]

33. Absolutely. Three cheers for Democracy Now! (n/t)

[struggle4progress]

15. Why the hell is a military man commenting ...

on an international diplomatic issue?

[bemildred]

16. He is responsible for the security situation in Haiti.

He has good reason to be nervous about the followers of
President Aristide. Nevertheless, he should not be babbling
about in in public, that is not his place.

[struggle4progress]

38. I still don't understand ...

why the diplomatic posture of the US is provided by remarks from military professionals. What ever became of Foggy Bottom?

[Just Me]

40. Ever heard of the military industrial complex?

Add corporatism in that mix,...and you have a brew that is very toxic to human existence.

The "brew" in this country is particularly toxic because it combines fundamentalist religiosity, militancy, corporatism, imperialism and exploiters of limited natural resources into a single pot of leadership. Hence, we have witnessed historical opposition by humanity as demonstrated by global protests over the last 18 months.

[Karenina]

48. You GO, JM!!!!

:loveya:

[struggle4progress]

49. I love that Eisenhower quote ...

but we once had a state department in charge of diplomatic issues, and military personnel weren't always out in front fanning the flames.

[bemildred]

42. I know, I know.

But they are out to discredit him any way they can.
He is a threat to the new Latortue junta. Hence they
let this bozo yell at him even though it is completely
inappropriate for an officer to do that, BECAUSE it shows
a lack of respect.

[worldgonekrazy]

18. wow...an outright threat

the question is: does anybody give a damn? the sad truth, i believe, is that haiti is just not important enough as a country in the global world for people to even pay attention. hell, the day he was ousted it was pretty damn clear he was forcefully removed by the u.s. gov't, yet it seemed like hardly anyone even raised their eyes at it.

[AP]

19. If you want to know who the fascists are...

...look for the people saying that information is dangerous and that people should keep their mouths shut.

[Judi Lynn]

20. Swaggering bully, James Hill.

We really need him and the rest of the _Bush galaxy of @$$####$ acting like gargoyles and pretending they represent the country.

Looky what we "done" for Haiti:

A U.S. Marine and Haitians watch as fresh water starts to flow from a newly installed water line. U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Ronald S. Coleman, Commander CJTF-Haiti, directed that engineers run a water line from the CJTF base camp to the local community and turn on the water. Haitians in the area previously had to travel three to four miles to the nearest water source.

Photo by: U.S. Army, Lt. Col. Norberto Cintron


Airmen with the 43 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Pope Air Force Base NC stabilize the condition of a civilian reporter with a neck wound at Port-Au-Prince Haiti on March 7

Photo by: TECH. SGT. ANDY DUNAWAY, 1ST COMBAT CAMERA SQUADRON

Just tell them Roger Noriega and Otto Reich send their regards. This will give them a thrill they'll never forget.

[saigon68]

30. He's got Rumbdums smirk

He looks like a 60 year old child molester with that smirk.

[TankLV]

21. Kick

nt

[MasonJar]

22. Boy, I bet Aristide jumps right on that demand. Why did the US

not go in to protect the elected government from rebels who were committing genocide? Could it be because Aristide wanted a decent wage for his people from US corps, currently taking advantage of the Haiti poor? Am I the only one embarrassed to be an American?

[Just Me]

23. More PROOF of being despotic rather than pro-democracy,...

,..."just shut up and do as you are told". What an arrogant as*wipe. He must think he is really something,...which does not fit into a democratic mold. Force him into a REAL democratic mold! Since he fails to contribute towards a democracy,...he is worthless in a democratic institution. Abandon him and tell him he needs to get additional education and any whining about his livelihood while meeting the standards of this new world is HIS problem.

[bobthedrummer]

28. Kick.

:dem:

[Rex]

32. Hill should be relieved of command

What an embarrassment to the U.S. military (been seeing a lot of that lately).

[saigon68]

51. Kick

[Voltaire99]

34. Vee haf vays of makink you talk...and not talk!

Gotta love these US generals: one day you'll find them declaring our God is a pro-wrestler who'll beat up their God, the next they're telling elected leaders to shut up.

*sigh* The scum rises, indeed.

[rman]

35. what's that saying about words and swords again?

-

[seemslikeadream]

36. Aristide speaking with Amy Goodman

Exiled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is interviewed by Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman while en route to Jamaica from the Central African Republic on a Jet, March 15, 2004. (Reuters/Katherin Kean/Democracy Now!)



Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide looks out the window aboard an airplane en route from the Central African Republic to Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, March 15, 2004. Aristide returned to the Caribbean from African exile but only to temporary asylum in Jamaica, some 130 miles from Haiti. U.S. and Haitian officials had warned that Aristide's return to the region, could threaten a fragile stability, as an interim government is being installed. Aristide's wife Mildred sits behind him. (AP Photo/Radio Pacifica's Democracy Now!)

[tlcandie]

39. He looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders...

:cry: How very tragic for all of Haiti. How very embarassing for the US and French governments!

[Just Me]

43. Both his faith and his strength are being tested.

He appears to be contemplating what must be done to overcome those who have no conscience about exploiting the least among us. Perhaps, we should all be contemplating such a fundamental crisis in our country and our world.

[nolabels]

50. Effing racist pigs

I could think of 15 or 20 conflicts off of the top of my head that would be more analogous to what is happening over there, this statement about a Rwandan-like situation

He just should have said your either pink skinned or your against us

Nazis SUCK