Are we leading a coup in Haiti

News agencies are reporting that we forced the Haitian president out of office (remember we forced him in).

Seems old Rumsfeld is stumbling around trying to answer questions but the president of haiti is calling our congressmen and telling his story.

Here is a link

www.local10.com...

I was reading about it this morning. Here is another report for ya!

www.news.com.au...

"HAITIAN leader Jean Bertrand Aristide was taken away from his home by US soldiers, it was claimed today.

A man who said he was a caretaker for the now exiled president told France's RTL radio station the troops forced Aristide out.

"The American army came to take him away at two in the morning," the man said.

"The Americans forced him out with weapons.

"It was American soldiers. They came with a helicopter and they took the security guards. "



[Edited on 1-3-2004 by Jonna]

I don't know any reason why the US Government would have for forcing a coup in Haiti. The Coup is Haiti is causing us to further dilute our troops around the globe which is not good at all.

The only reason for it that I can think of would be to be involved in an official UN military operation to help our credabiltiy.

Originally posted by BlackJackal
I don't know any reason why the US Government would have for forcing a coup in Haiti. The Coup is Haiti is causing us to further dilute our troops around the globe which is not good at all.

The only reason for it that I can think of would be to be involved in an official UN military operation to help our credabiltiy.

I can't really think why the US should have gotten involved in Chile, Iran, Iraq, Nicaragua, etc. etc...

It' just the way that US foreign policy works.

"Give me whats convenient, while it's convenient, and not a minute longer than it's convenience lasts."

Basically, that's about it. If a coup or two or three or ten is what the US does for foreign policy, then that's what it does.

Still, that doesn't make it right.

Honestly, this Haitian stuff doesn't surprise me a bit. Just try to Find me a central American/carribean country where the US has no interests.

[Edited on 1-3-2004 by Loki]

Look at history.
If anything, the US kept Aristide in power.

Administration Denies Aristide Kidnapped

I suppose that this is the government's responce to all of the aligations:

"The White House and Pentagon (news - web sites) on Monday dismissed allegations that Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was kidnapped by U.S. forces eager for him to resign and flee into exile.

With U.S. military forces already on the ground in the Caribbean nation and more on the way, chief presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said, "It's nonsense, and conspiracy theories do nothing to help the Haitian people move forward to a better more free, more prosperous future."


Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld also vehemently denied that Aristide had been forced out by the United States, and Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) forcefully denied it as well, saying that Aristide boarded the plane willingly.

McClellan told reporters that Aristide left on his own free will. "We took steps to protect Mr. Aristide and his family so they would not be harmed as they departed Haiti," he said. "


story.news.yahoo.com.../ap/20040301/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/us_haiti_18

Oh, like I'm supposed to beleive ANYTHING this administration says.

"The American army came to take him away at two in the morning," the man said.

"The Americans forced him out with weapons.

"It was American soldiers. They came with a helicopter and they took the security guards. "

Well, then there's your answer.....

This is some seriously funny stuff.

If you read CNN's report of the story here you can see why this is funny. As the story goes, the US troops showed up at the Presidential palace in the middle of the night with lots of weapons and forced Aristede to come with them.

Now after being "abducted" by the US troops Mr. Aristede somehow had a smuggled cell phone!! American troops must not search the people they kidnap, and they must also leave them unattended so they can conduct their public relations phone calls undisturbed. Through all the harried trouble poor Mr. Aristede put up with he was somehow able to have memorized the phone numbers of an "activist" and two American Congressmembers. Amazing! I wish I would be this composed if I was ever kidnapped! To top it all off Aristede was free enough to give a radio address after arriving in Africa.

An interesting story.

Colonel, as for what you said above... let's be honest, if the Bush administration came out with a statement officially denying the existence of Leprechauns you would be the first one standing outside with a pot of gold praying for one to come. I understand some of us don't like the administration, but come on... we have to believe every loony toon story out there just because it's against Bush?


Let's accept this for what it is. The guy was outnumbered and outgunned. Instead of sticking around to get killed by the rebels in his own country he got the hell out of there. I don't blame him at all.

[Edited on 3-1-2004 by Djarums]

Originally posted by Djarums
Now after being "abducted" by the US troops Mr. Aristede somehow had a smuggled cell phone!! American troops must not search the people they kidnap, and they must also leave them unattended so they can conduct their public relations phone calls undisturbed. Through all the harried trouble poor Mr. Aristede put up with he was somehow able to have memorized the phone numbers of an "activist" and two American Congressmembers. Amazing! I wish I would be this composed if I was ever kidnapped! To top it all off Aristede was free enough to give a radio address after arriving in Africa.

[Edited on 3-1-2004 by Djarums]

Actually the phone was given to him by intelligence officials in the african country he is in now. I am not sure this is how things happened but his attorney on FoxNews just now was giving some interesting history about how the 2 rebel leaders were able to raise an army in 2 weeks to overthrow the government. Funny thing, they all had new American Weapons. Now how they got those??? UP in the air but I am NOT above believing something happened. Keep in mind Colin Powell was part of the joint chiefs during the first coup.

One thing I have to wonder about... Aristide and his supporters keep saying that this entire coup was a horrible thing to happen to Democracy in Haiti.

The question is: If this coup was supported by the majority of the people in Haiti how is it against Democracy which is supposed to be the people's will. Yes the people may have elected him but obviously something went seriously wrong there. You can elect someone and if the person turns out to be a horrible leader there are methods in a democracy for his removal. Of course the use of force isn't really what I'd have in mind there, but there are other ways to remove a leader. If the majority of Haitians supported the removal of Aristede, then this is hardly a blow to democracy. Its methods might have been, but the end result certainly wasn't.

(please note, I'm assuming that the majority of Haitians no longer supported Aristede when I write this)

Originally posted by nativeokie
Actually the phone was given to him by intelligence officials in the african country he is in now.

Nothing against the Central African Republic but I sincerely doubt that if the American Intelligence agencies had collaborated to yank Aristede from Haiti and sent him to Africa they would be so absolutely careless and allow him to be given a phone to communicate with certain very well chosen Congressmembers.

The guy was going to be overthrown and probably killed by a very angry and threatening group of people. He high-tailed it and left. Is this supposed to be a way of saving face by saying he didn't want to leave? We all know what the end result would have been had he stayed.