Already a free-trade zone, get ready for the Haiti 'Shock Doctrine'

[sixmile]

A country run amok with virtually no government services, free enterprise bordering on anarchy and free trade for all foreigners willing to grease the right wheels, Haiti could easily fall victim to the conservative economic principles of the 'Shock Doctrine' explained by Naomi Klein in her book of the same title. Here is a warning letter she posted just hours ago:

http://www.naomiklein.org/node/1045

'Readers of the The Shock Doctrine know that the Heritage Foundation has been one of the leading advocates of exploiting disasters to push through their unpopular pro-corporate policies. From this document, they're at it again, not even waiting one day to use the devastating earthquake in Haiti to push for their so-called reforms:

"Congress should immediately begin work on a package of assistance, trade, and reconstruction efforts needed to put Haiti on its feet and open the way for deep and lasting democratic reforms."'

and a link to the corporatist message to Congress posted by the dangerous Heritage Foundation posted hours before:

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/01/13/things-to-remember-while-helping-haiti/

snip

'While on the ground in Haiti, the U.S. military can also interrupt the nightly flights of cocaine to Haiti and the Dominican Republic from the Venezuelan coast and counter the ongoing efforts of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to destabilize the island of Hispaniola. This U.S. military presence, which should also include a large contingent of U.S. Coast Guard assets, can also prevent any large-scale movement by Haitians to take to the sea in dangerous and rickety watercraft to try to enter the U.S. illegally.

Meanwhile, the U.S. must be prepared to insist that the Haiti government work closely with the U.S. to insure that corruption does not infect the humanitarian assistance flowing to Haiti. Long-term reforms for Haitian democracy and its economy are also badly overdue. Congress should immediately begin work on a package of assistance, trade, and reconstruction efforts needed to put Haiti on its feet and open the way for deep and lasting democratic reforms.

The U.S. should implement a strong and vigorous public diplomacy effort to counter the negative propaganda certain to emanate from the Castro-Chavez camp. Such an effort will also demonstrate that the U.S.’s involvement in the Caribbean remains a powerful force for good in the Americas and around the globe.'

Watch for the Shock Doctrine to begin taking effect in Haiti immediately.

The irony is that Haiti is already a conservatives wet dream (as mentioned in my opening salvo).

[Subdivisions]

1. IBTMTD. n/t

[Mika]

2. I had a stab at this earlier, and had it relegated to the dungeon.

Bye :hi:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7456094

[Mika]

3. Please repost this in the Latin America forum.

There's an interesting crowd there who'd like to see this.

Latin America forum here..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=405


:hi:

[Quantess]

4. Interesting.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. Oh for God's sake.

You people are beyond help.

[anonymous171]

6. Good thing the Heritage Foundation isn't in charge of the military

Anyways, do they have any social programs to cut? What does Haiti have that corporate America wants? Any markets to give to corporations?

[xxqqqzme]

7. I thought Haiti

was already the end result of disaster capitalism run amok. Isn't that partly why Aristide was run out of town by the neo-cons, he was trying to change things?