Why Haiti? Why now?

[Say_What]

Noriega and Otto REICH up to their eyes in coups as usual.

<clips>

.. Therefore, it is no surprise Otto Reich’s fingerprints are all over this week’s kidnapping of President Aristide. Otto Reich, you will recall, is the U.S. under-secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere who helped to orchestrate the short-lived kidnapping and ouster of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. That kidnapping was undone when the people rose up and re-installed Chavez, because the perpetrators of that kidnapping had failed to remove Chavez completely from the country. Not to make the same mistake twice.

In an overall strategy that parallels the worldwide concept of the Department of Defense to fight simultaneously one or one and a half wars to extend U.S. imperial power to control energy sources overseas, under the cover of fighting terrorism, hard line, reactionary Cubans within the U.S. diplomatic community have been handed near carte blanche powers to destabilize progressive regimes in the Western Hemisphere.

In addition to Otto Reich, who, as a diplomatic appointee to Venezuela during the Reagan administration, helped to arrange the transferring and releasing to the streets of Miami terrorist Orlando Bosch, mastermind of the 1976 blowing up of the Cuban airliner, is:

Reich’s right-hand man Roger Noriega, a former Jesse Helms protégé who recently served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States and now is also with the State Department’s Western Hemisphere Bureau, and:

http://www.sfbayview.com/030304/whyhaiti030304.shtml

[On the Road]

1. Haiti is an Ersatz Venezuela

a consolation prize.

[bemildred]

2. Bingo.

An attempt to show that some shred of the old moxie remains.

[Raster]

3. but there's no oil in Haiti...?

[Westegg]

4. I admit I've been shocked by this whole thing...

...How did anyone in the Bush Admin. think this was a smart move? I'm pretty in the dark/naive about the realties of Haiti today, but there MUST be some political advantage to be gained from this shit. Or maybe not. Would someone who knows what's really going on please enlighten me?

[Say_What]

5. Backlash: U.S. on wrong side in Haiti

<clips>

Backing the troubled nation's rebels didn't help democracy

The Bush administration's unwillingness to support Haiti's elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has thwarted the course of democracy. By siding with the armed rebels, the administration helped fuel the opposition and undermine chances for a quick resolution.

Whether Aristide was removed from Haiti by force or fled voluntarily, it is sadly clear that the country is in shambles.

Haiti, which recently celebrated its 200th anniversary of independence, has a rich history. It was the first independent black republic in the Americas after African slaves revolted against the French and British. Haitians fought alongside President Lincoln's union army and sent men and material to aid Simon Bolivar in his quest for the liberation of Latin America.

But there is little for Haitians to celebrate.

Haiti has one of the most dismal records of violence, poverty, corruption and oppression in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has suffered its second coup in 13 years and the 33rd in its history. The present is filled with unemployment, turmoil and political instability.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/8101313.htm

[Westegg]

6. I thank you for your thoughts and information.

[AlabamaYankee]

7. It's a smokescreen

I'm convinced that Haiti is being sacrificed to divert our attention while Bushco works behind the scenes to finally destabilize Venezuela and install a compliant government in Caracas. It will, of course, be the will of the fine people of Venezuela

[Say_What]

8. Maxine Waters feels the same way--she also says they have

Cuba in their sights as well. However, this is getting pretty messy pretty fast. CARICOM has called for an investigation as well as South Africa. Also, there's gonna be a dispute about a US puppet government being recognized at the UN or the OAS. Here's the link to those articles.

<clips>

He noted, however, that Mr. Aristide disclosed that he had no knowledge of where he was being taken during his trip into exile. In particular, he said, Mr. Aristide told the CARICOM leaders he was unaware that he was in Antigua during a brief 'technical' stop before continuing on to the Central African Republic.

This account contradicts reports that the Haitian leader had contacted officials while on that island.

"We have been unable to identify any such person to whom he may have spoken," Mr. Patterson said.

He added that the Antiguan Government said that no state or airport officials were allowed to enter the plane, nor did anyone on the plane disembark.

"The declaration which was made by the operators of the plane disclosed that there were no passengers aboard. Whether that indicates that those who were on board were regarded not as passengers, but as cargo, is something which I leave for you to determine," Mr. Patterson said.

<http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040304/lead/lead2.html>

<http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=469801§ion=news>

[MasonJar]

9. He wanted Aristide out because the leader would not cater to

the bush cronies who want to initiate big money making enterprises in Haiti (not oil this time, hotels and casinos) I bet.