Haiti: First case study in actually dealing with a failed state?

[LuckyTheDog]

First off, the humanitarian situation in Haiti is beyond words. Helping those people has to be the first priority of the international community.

However, after the situation is stabilized to some degree, a lot of decisions will have to be made about what Haiti wants to do going forward and what the international community is willing to do. Among the questions Haitians and others will have to ask are:

 Is independent, sovereign “statehood,” as we now understand it, even possible for Haiti anymore? If not, what does that mean?

 Is there a new model of governance – something that isn’t colonization, but also different than full, sovereign independence – that might be employed for places where the local government and civil order breaks down for whatever reason?

 How can the world community provide a long-term solution to the crisis that respects Haitians’ right to self determination – but doesn’t allow for financial assistance and development programs to be co-opted by corrupt local officials?

 How do you make sure international help to failed states does not lead to re-colonization, a heavy-handed violation of self-determination rights, or a perpetual state of national limo for the countries involved?

These are not easy questions. But they have to be asked, IMHO…

[ShortnFiery]

1. Too bad Haiti doesn't have oil nor geopoltical advantages.

If so, we'd have our troops and aid organizations all over it like "white on rice."

The USA is so glaringly transparent: We only CARE if it helps US and our beloved empire.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. Well let's see, the aid organizations are already there and the troops are on their way.

What exactly are you expecting to happen that isn't already happening?

[LuckyTheDog]

7. I do not know what should happen

But the world just cannot just let failed states like Haiti continue to fester. This crisis could bring the issue to the forefront.

[lapislzi]

9. Haiti has been a failed state for many years

Misgovernance, neocolonialism, and grinding poverty have driven it into the ground. I think the OP has asked some very hard questions about Haiti's (and other failed states; Zimbabwe comes to mind) long-term prospects--not short term humanitarian relief.

[Posteritatis]

4. Uh, troops and aid organizations *are* all over it right now. (nt)

[ShortnFiery]

5. For now ... just for now and/or while the cameras are "on." Then it's back to Bread and Circuses, NT

[LuckyTheDog]

12. Yep. And after that, what?

I think the world needs to think through a new paradigm for places like Haiti. What we're doing isn't working. Nothing could have prevented the earthquake. But Haiti didn't have to be already a failed state before the earthquake hit.

What do we do? Heck if I know. Clearly, re-colonizing Haiti would be deeply immoral and not sustainable. Whatever happens has to be a solution that the Haitians can sign on to and respects their absolute right to self-determination. But we have to be willing to ask fundamental, out-of-the box questions about the very models humans use to govern themselves.

There has to be some other apparatus we can use that isn't the "colony model" or the "nation state model." Again, I don't have an answer. I just think it's time to start the debate. The world owes something to former colonies like Haiti that were abandoned and left to twist in the wind.

[kenny blankenship]

8. Actually we have a long history of intervening in Haiti - most of that history is appalling

Starting in the 18th century when we embargoed Haiti for casting off slavery and winning independence from France. And most recently when American backed insurgents deposed the elected President following the US government's rejection of appeals from the Haitian government for military assistance. We very nicely abducted the President at gunpoint and flew him to Africa or the South Pole or someplace.

Maybe this time we can make up for some of that.

[blondeatlast]

11. FAIL. They are already there or on the way. But thanks for playing.

Teh stupid, well we all know the rest. :banghead:

[leveymg]

3. By many measures, Haiti is already a "failed state." Don't see how this fundamentally changes the

political arrangements. Country was already heavily dependent on external assistance and foreign intervention had become the status quo. More so now, of course.

[era veteran]

6. The shame of our hemisphere

A shattered state. Poor people, I hope the Duvalier clan is ok in the south of France. Pigs

[malaise]

10. When you study the history of Haiti

you have to ask how did it come to this. After all Haitian soldiers fought the French in the US and there would have been no Louisiana purchase without the Haitian Revolution.

Haiti has been deliberately destroyed and occupied because the white powers on this planet never forgave them for kicking the French out.

Haiti doesn't need any form of colonization. It just needs to remove those who have meddled for centuries with a view to exploit African labor.

Let Aristide return home - that would be the best solution.

[polly7]

13. Amen. nt.

[Kitty Herder]

14. Agreed.