Schakowsky: Bush Administration Misstatement - Haiti

[seemslikeadream]

Press Release


MARCH 2, 2004

SCHAKOWSKY: BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S MISSTATEMENT OF THE DAY –
HAITI

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) issued today’s “Bush Administration’s Misstatement of the Day” on Haiti.
According to a report in the Washington Post today, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide did a “wise and patriotic thing” by agreeing to leave his nation. Powell also stated that it was “baseless” and “absurd” that the United States forced Aristide out of power.

According to the Center for American Progress, however:

The Bush Administration does not deny that it rapidly changed its position and helped force Aristide out, going so far as to issue a "harsh statement" blaming the turmoil on the Haitian president. The question that remains, however, is why did the Administration back a rebel force made up of death-squad veterans and convicted murderers over a democratically-elected government?
Schakowsky said, “While it is unclear exactly what happened early Sunday morning, the message from the U.S. to President Aristide was crystal clear: the U.S. won’t protect you from being killed by the assassins that are on your doorstep.” http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/il09_schakowsky/pr3_2_2004mis.html

[cspiguy]

1. France strongly called for his stepping down and exile.

that did it. After that nothing could save him.

[htuttle]

2. France calling for the head of a Haitian leader....

...is hardly a new thing.

[CaptainClark23]

4. especially when

millions of $ in possible reparations on are the table

[Tinoire]

3. They can't even keep track of their lies

I hope more American people do!

[Bandit]

5. I could swear I heard Noriega say that Aristide was told that if he stayed

He and his family would no doubt be killed. He phrased it like the US was doing him a huge favor and saving his life. It was an open admission that the US was not prepared to defend the Democratically elected leader of Haiti. He is being held in exile now and has an American wife. Why can he not come to America with his wife. She is also being held in exile under US Marine guard.

[htuttle]

6. The most damaging admission by Noriega, I think...

...was the admission that the US demanded Aristide's resignation as a condition of helping at all. Noriega admitted this, although he tried to say, 'Well, we probably would have helped anyway, since his wife is a US citizen.' As Rangel pointed out, however, they were very clear that Aristide was told that his resignation was a condition of any assistance.

Aristide had no intention of resigning until the US demanded it. Noriega's excuse was that 'we were trying to put in place the groundwork for a settlement'...by removing the democratically elected president.