Haiti - Updated
I know I'm on hiatus, but there is an issue that begs attention, and is not being given it. Haiti. There is an unprecedented propaganda effort underway, with Carol Williams of the LA Times seemingly one of the players, to justify our removal of President Aristide, after the fact.
This is not a healthy sign of democracy, either for us or the Haitians. Every man and woman complicit in this operation should be held to account, and face the consequences. I read a whole article saying bad things about Aristide supporters sometime on Saturday only to learn that, when the still acting Prime Minister goes on state-run radio to declare that Aristide's government is still in charge, the rebels and students opposed to Aristide invade the broadcasting station and loot and destroy it.
That doesn't sound like freedom fighters. If you're in the right, why destroy the media? Where's our Marines? Aren't they defending key people and infrastructure? Don't we need the media to be operational in order to communicate to the people?
And now, today, I hear that pro-Aristide supporters fire on unarmed demonstrators who are championing a known war criminal and terrorist. It sounds unbelievable. These rebels are terrorists, and we are to believe they are the champions of the people? Of democracy? This won't go for American policy, and the fruits of that will bear out soon.
Haiti is just another indignity in a long line. It's time for to hold our president, vice president, and all their men and women, where appropriate, to account, and to insist they justify and explain their policy.
Where has President Bush been in regards to commenting on Haiti? Is he a real leader? Does he even know what's going on?
We could have prevented Aristide's ouster, and didn't, and this is no accident, but rather a policy. This ought to be acknowledged, and explained, and, since it hasn't, it's time to stand up and demand accountability from our leaders.
And, on that note, President Bush has been nowhere to be found, when he ought to be explaining to us why the removal of Aristide needed to occur, and how it fits into our overall strategy. Who's running the show? I want to know, and I'm not going to stand idle while our American values and reputation are trampled in the meantime.
Though, I should acknowledge, I am on hiatus.
Peace.
