Former U.S. President Clinton Tries to Head a Dictatorship in Haiti

On March 8, Haiti’s house of Representatives, a large majority of which belongs to Preval’s party, voted for a highly controversial State of Emergency law that allows an Interim Comission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (CIRH), led by former U.S. president William J. Clinton to run the country for a supposed 18-month State of Emergency. This particular meeting of the Haitian Parliament was extremely contentious. Outside, a small group of protestors urged the legislators to vote “no.” At least 20 legislators walked out, declaring the law to be unconstitutional and hoping to break the quorum. Others stayed and voted against the law at the start of the meeting, hoping to stall the proceedings. One Senator proposed an amendment that would allow a senatorial commission to oversee the CIRH. All their efforts failed. It was a done deal from the start. Forty-three Representatives voted “yes”, 6 voted “no”, and 8 abstained.

How did this come to pass?

First, the current Haitian government, if one can call it that, came to power after elections that excluded the most popular political party. It is highly unrepresentative, to say the least.

Second, the most vocal opposition to CIRH and the State of Emergency came from the right, which is categorically rejected by the great majority of the population. This opposition demanded, reasonably enough, that the Haitian Armed Forces (FADH) be re-established, MINUSTAH departs, and the Haitian Constitution and UN Charter be respected. Their calls of protest fell on the deaf ears of a population well acquainted with their lack of patriotism.

Finally, Preval’s government is considered a great embarassment. Among other things, it has failed to account for its expenses of the last three months. Preval himself campaigned for the State of Emergency law, although the stated reason for this law was a need to circumvent the state’s corruption. In typical style, he insisted that everyone dirties their hands along with him and the law be voted on by the entire Haitian Parliament. When criticized about dragging the country into the depths of dependency and handicapping the next administration, he shrugged and lapsed into absurdities like Haiti is “a weak state,” but still “possessed of its sovereignty.”

With the Chamber of Representatives in the bag, the next obstacle was the Senate. In an April 8th meeting, the Senators voted ‘no” to the State of Emergency Law and the CIRH. In advance of another vote on Tuesday April 13th, Preval held a press conference at which he pleaded with the Senators not to “miss this chance.” Several demanded to know why he felt he needed the parliament to ratify a commission with a majority of foreigners. They pointed out that he could take full responsibility for his miserable commission and establish it by presidential decree, rather than try to tie the hands of the parliament for one and a half years. Others, like Acluche Louis Jeune declared, on the record, that it seemed to them that “the president wants to dissolve the parliament so as to give the occupier a free hand.” The April 13th vote was successfully blocked by the lack of a quorum. The Senate, now numbering 25 because of two deaths, needed a quorum of 16, but only 15 Senators participated. Two of those Senators showed up merely to snub the meeting.

Enter Michelle Obama on April 14th. What did she do during her surprise visit to Haiti, besides drawing fishes and comparing them to the more advanced art of the Haitian elementary-school children? What inducements or threats did she bring to the Senate on behalf of the U.S.?

A late-night session of Thursday April 15th finally did the trick. With barely a quorum of 16 senators, 13 voted for the State of Emergency law, with all but one of the “yes” votes coming from Preval’s party. One senator voted against the law, 2 abstained, and 9 stayed away from the meeting altogether.

I find myself being proud that even this highly unrepresentative government put up such a fight to protect the country’s sovereignty. Haiti will not be an easy conquest.

In the CIRH, which is Bill Clinton’s wet dream of a government and is to be led by him, a majority of foreigners hope to administer Haiti, including:

* 9 representatives who are major donors chosen by a CIRH administrative council. This is a strictly pay-to-play affair. To get a seat, a country or institution must donate at least $100 million over a two-year period or erase debts worth at least $200 million. The current list includes the U.S., the European Union, France, Canada, Brazil, Venezuela, the Interamerican Bank of Development, the United Nations, and the World Bank.

* 1 representative of CARICOM (15 Caribbean countries included).

* 1 representative of the Organization of American States.

* 1 representative for all the other donors without a seat.

* 1 representative of the NGOs in Haiti.

* 1 representative of the Haitian diaspora.

Haïti itself would be represented by a minority of seven representatives, none of them popularly elected.

1. World-Bank veteran Jean-Max Bellerive gets a laughable equal billing to Clinton. He was foisted by the U.S. last October on Preval as Primer Minister.

2. Preval himself would have symbolic veto rights but would not actually be a member.

3. 3 representatives of the Haitian government (nominated respectively by the executive, judiciary, and local authorities).

4. 1 representative of the Chamber of Representatives (based on a list submitted by the political parties represented in the House).

5. 1 representative of the Senate (based on a list submitted by the political parties represented in the Senate).

6. 1 representative designated by union syndicates.

7. 1 representative nominated by the business community.

There is much to be learned from this affair about the leaders of supposed democratic countries. I expect this is how they would run everything if they could. Consider the World Trade Organization (WTO). Watch closely and pray against natural disasters. The next pay-for-play Commission might well be for your state or country.

What a guy...


axisoflogic.com...

Well Clinton can't possibly eff up Haiti more than they did to themselves.
I say more power to him. Go Clinton Go!

Those people need white leadership for a while.

reply to post by Just Wondering


Haiti has been screwed by the CIA. Every director has been white.

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


But the big question is was it as good for them as it was for us?

I hate to say it, I can't say I agree with it, but way to go bill. That is freaking kick @$$. That is an awesome way to flex your illuminati muscle.
Imperial colony that's what I like to see. Man I wish icould do that.

I cant believe your actually your supporting Bill Clinton? i hope you were just joking.

My friend has spent the better part of the months since the earthquake helping run a field hospital in Haiti. I don't think a lot of folks realize just how truly horrible conditions are down there at the moment. It is largely still lawless, the infrastructure is gone. On a daily basis he's dealing with things like children who have survived machete attacks to the head, and other like shocking emergencies. There's a lot of chaos and street fighting going on down there, right now. It's very, very bad.

A lot of what my friend does is finding and ferrying blood from Florida and elsewhere to his hospital, or between hospitals in Haiti, which can be very hard and very dangerous when he's got to ride the streets at night, often with a U.S. Special Forces guy in the seat next to him for protection.

I would liken the situation there now to the situation in Japan or Germany after World War II where the allied powers basically took temporary dictatorial power over those places in order to ensure they didn't fall into total anarchy (they were already in ruins). This is an extreme emergency situation, still, and in such situations different measures need to be taken.

Now, if things get much better in 18 months but nobody relinquishes control, then I might start to worry about motives. But I see this as an emergency measure - a much lesser of two evils - that I don't think will be permanent.

i've read alot about these haiti america takeover things and whatnot saying that we moved in to take haiti for ourselves but from personal experience that isn't the case. my squadron deployed 60 marines with 6 hueys to haiti to aid, although there was PLENTY. from what i've heard from the guys that were there for ~2 months all they did was gather up stuff like food, clolthes, and water in massive surplus to give to them. one story i heard was how they could barely walk around the ship because of all the containers they had and they were still asking for more. some of them managed to get off the boat and into haiti and all any of them did was hand out supplies, move boxes, and bring injured back to the ship. we even had 1 guy that was sent there re-united with his family on the ship.

so from my personal experience i have to say that we're only helping them out and that there is way too much paranoia going around. i mean i'm a paranoid guy myself but nothing happened there in the way of taking over we're just getting them back up on their feet. (ask me about iraq or afghan and i'll tell you that we're there for bullsh*t reasons and need to gtfo) just my 2 cents

Originally posted by Just Wondering
Those people need white leadership for a while.

Yes... Because a black man cannot run a country.

I mean, consider Oba... nvm

Bow down to overload Clinton! All jest aside, Haiti could use anything to get back on its feet. That country has largely been out of the news for sometime, but considering the appearance of the country after the quake, it will take decades to bring any kind of normalcy for the people. Perhaps, Haiti is a cruel reminder to all about how when there are two many chefs in the kitchen it ruins the soup? Foreign powers have had their hands in that cookie jar since its inception. We have seen a continued United Nation's presence, US led coups, involvement by foreign intelligence services, a string of foreign-backed potbelly dictators, and a military occupation from time to time.

One could feasibly assume that with all the involvement of European Powers and the the United States in nation of Haiti, it would have been an ideal island paradise before the earthquake? I could offer a lewd a euphemism about how the world powers have had their way with Haiti, but that would be inappropriate given the blatant extortion, tyranny, and fraud that has taken place in that country since it declared independence from France over two centuries ago. Haiti was a decrepit place before the earthquake even with the benevolent support of the international community, and do people think an appointment of former President Bill Clinton will change any of that? One must look at his record on Haiti while President, before lauding this choice of the new Haitian quasi-dictator.

Perhaps, we are seeing the new and refined Poppa Doc? Groomed in the Ivy leagues, US politics, and the country club's version of tyranny and corruption? In other words, things should remain the same for the Haitian people regardless of who becomes leader. Until they can sweep out the foreign meddling and the corruption of their elected officials, Haiti will remain a disaster zone and largely from man's hand.

Just my two cents on the topic, and if Clinton is a miracle worker or something, he has got his work cut out for him. Hopefully some good comes out of Haiti's elected officials selecting a foreigner to take command of their country, and thus surrendering what little sovereignty they have left? I am very skeptical about what is transpiring in Haiti, and it is disgusting how the international community is using this disaster as a feeding frenzy for their own personal interests with the country.

reply to post by sNaFu


Perhaps THIS time, the US is there to help, but in the past that has not been the case; the CIA backed at least 2 coups in the last 20 years. It is wise for people to be skepical.

[edit on 12-5-2010 by InvisibleAlbatross]

Originally posted by Just Wondering
Well Clinton can't possibly eff up Haiti more than they did to themselves.
I say more power to him. Go Clinton Go!

Those people need white leadership for a while.

ROFL !

White makes right ?

HAHAHAHA

I suppose they should have told Ken Saro Wiwa that too !

Ken Saro Wiwa

I think Haiti had a horrible government, probably one of the worst
in the world, and it did not look like it was going to get any better.

I do not think the color of their skin was the cause.

It was massive corruption, and cronyism like we are seeing in the US now
and why we are in decline here now as well.

Hispaniola has two sides, one side is doing ok, the other is a train wreck.

Hispaniola

Odds are they could simply follow the lead of their neighbor on the
same damn island and things would get better, but those in power
have clung to power and could give a damn about their fellow man.

A lot of outside influences are making it hard for haiti as well.

It is a major transhipment point for drugs.

Odds are it will take a revolt to get the scum bags out of power
and a lot of ppl will die, wish it would go the Gandhi route but
that is not the usual path of history.

This sums up why Clinton and Aristide are not good for Haiti.

====================================

Aristide's use of paramilitaries caused dissatisfaction, and in August 1991, his government faced a non-confidence vote within the Haitian Chamber of Deputies and Senate. Eighty-three members voted against him, while only eleven members voted in support of his government. In September 1991, Aristide gave a speech in which he encouraged his supporters to kill his critics and endorsed Père Lebrun (necklacing), which he called good-smelling.[45] Three days later, Aristide was overthrown by soldiers and flown into exile. The conservative magazine The American Spectator ran an article that stated that, while living in the United States, he embezzled Haiti's telecom revenues to a numbered offshore account, and used the money to finance his return.[46] In accordance with Article 149 of Haiti's Constitution of 1987, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nerette was named Provisional President and elections were called for December 1991—elections the international community blocked[citation needed]—and the resulting chaos extended into 1994.

In 1994, an American team, under the direction of the Clinton Administration, successfully negotiated the departure of Haiti's military leaders and the peaceful entry of US forces under Operation Uphold Democracy, thereby paving the way for the restoration of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president.[47] In October 1994, Aristide returned to Haiti to complete his term in office.[48] Aristide disbanded the Haitian army, and established a civilian police force.

Aristide vacated the presidency in February 1996, the scheduled end of his 5-year term based on the date of his inauguration.

In 1996, René Préval was elected as president for a five-year term, winning 88% of the popular vote. Préval had previously served as Aristide's Prime Minister from February to October 1991.

Source = wikipedia



[edit on 12-5-2010 by Ex_MislTech]

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


i can understand people being skeptical of the government i mean so am i, but i just don't think this time it was anything bad. although the last 2 countries we INVADED (and call the people defending them insurgents) are complete BS in my mind. if you don't mind can you link me to the 2 CIA coups? thats new to me

Originally posted by sNaFu
reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross

 

i can understand people being skeptical of the government i mean so am i, but i just don't think this time it was anything bad. although the last 2 countries we INVADED (and call the people defending them insurgents) are complete BS in my mind. if you don't mind can you link me to the 2 CIA coups? thats new to me

Here is info on one of them.

"Clinton recently expressed regret and apologized for the US's trade policies with Haiti [87] Aristide however decided against being further tied to the free market policies that he was restricted to, and he attempted to raise the country's minimum wage. He was then taken out of power, when a CIA backed coup from the neighbouring Dominican Republic, attempted to overthrow him. He was then forcibly removed from the country onboard a US military plane.[88]"

quote point 88 from this wiki article.

Haiti

#88 [Turning Points in History,(Documentary) Episode: "Aristide's Haiti"]

And the first one:

Congress to Probe CIA-Haiti Ties Intelligence: Members of both houses say they will investigate. Reports say agency financed some leaders involved in coup.

articles.latimes.com...

CIA 'helped to set up terror group' in Haiti

www.independent.co.uk...

i tried reading some of that the best i could and i gathered that there is more going on in haiti than i was aware of. it seems even the military is misinformed of what the military is doing

See.. this would be good if Clinton and Bush were honest people... but we have seen that they are not, and that they tend to ignore peoples lives when it comes to their agenda.

You know, the end justifies the means philosophy.


Another point, is that if Chavez has good information, then the Haiti quake was a severe breach in international policy by the usage of an earthquake or tectonic weapon of some sort.

So to me, this whole thing reeks of conspiracy. But I can see how it looks nice and dandy to the sheeple...

They may be helping out now, but in a couple months? Who knows... IMO Haiti will become an outpost for U.S. hegemony and interests, including oil. It is in their best interest to help out now, because then they will be in a better position to control Haiti in the future.

International liability for weather modification

I am currently accessing journal archives through my University... and there seems to be quite a few interesting papers from the 60's and 70's about who is responsible for when damages occur through weather modification... I will try and sort some more out and get some of it on ATS sometime.

famous quote from former SecDef William Cohen:

There are some reports, for example, that some countries have been trying to construct something like an Ebola Virus, and that would be a very dangerous phenomenon, to say the least. Alvin Toeffler has written about this in terms of some scientists in their laboratories trying to devise certain types of pathogens that would be ethnic specific so that they could just eliminate certain ethnic groups and races; and others are designing some sort of engineering, some sort of insects that can destroy specific crops. Others are engaging even in an eco- type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves.

defense.gov