Many apologists for the February 29, 2004 coup in Haiti claim that Aristide was a "dictator," an "authoritarian," or, that "he armed gangs," and that "he was corrupt." Many also claim that he was subsumed by a "popular uprising" that was going to sweep him out of power. According to this narrative - which is echoed and maintained by the corporate media, Western governments, and the Haitian client regime among others - the U.S. Marines showed up at just the right time in the midst of widespread civil unrest that would surely have resulted in a "bloodbath," or worse, civil war.
Accordingly, the Marines and the U.S. embassy provided sage and timely wisdom to the embattled Aristide, convincing him to "resign" and agree to be flown to the Central African Republic (another former French colony), without first having the chance to address the Haitian citizenry. We are told that this was not a coup d'etat, but that Aristide willfully resigned, end of story. We make the reality, you abide by it.
New reality
The question was (and remains): who is willing to accept this reality?
The Canadians certainly are. They signed on to it immediately, as did the French, the EU, Brazil, Chile, Russia, China, and others. Within the societies of these countries, there was no great opposition to this new reality. Everyone who signed on to the new reality was handed a script from which to practice and read her or his new lines. Of course, we now have the benefit of a year of intensive research, independent investigations, and regular on the ground reporting, which demonstrate that this new reality was merely the logical consequence of years of preparation for the ultimate fall of Aristide and the popular Lavalas movement.
The remainder of this article may be read at http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=55&ItemID=8277
[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on July 19, 2005]
Note: http://www.zmag.org/con...
Haiti Horror
Posted on Sunday, July 17 at 09:23 by MiltonContributed By
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It's also too bad that Canada doesn't have the moral authority to condemn corruption in other countries anymore because our own government is so totally corrupt. It's sad that other former Canadian values are being taken down with the legitimizing of corruption in Canada, basic human rights for instance are no longer a concern of Canadians or their media - atrocities just don't 'light the fire' of their imaginations. Oddly though, mention the word 'American' and these same people get animated pretty quickly - hypocrites.
<a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20040801T000000-0500_63806_OBS_IS_THERE_OIL_IN_HAITI_.asp">http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20040801T000000-0500_63806_OBS_IS_THERE_OIL_IN_HAITI_.asp</a><br />
As it turned out, no. They were there of course, drilling but came up empty.<br />
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But it is a great place to dump toxins!<br />
<a href="http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/mm0395.html#haiti">http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/mm0395.html#haiti</a><br />
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So why are we there? What better place to set up shop than between Cuba and Venezuela?<br />
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Other articles of interest (and here I take the liberty of pulling selected paragraphs)<br />
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Canada envoy says no more troops for Haiti<br />
"Annan had told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on June 28 that he might seek more aggressive troops for Haiti, where peacekeepers are trying to counter a wave of shootings and kidnappings that could threaten elections set for later this year.<br />
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Officials with knowledge of the meeting said Annan and Rice had agreed that the French or the Canadians would be able to do a good job. Rice then offered to lobby those two governments if he made the request."<br />
<a href="http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/12089288.htm">http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/12089288.htm</a><br />
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Canadian Forces commitment in Haiti<br />
"MINUSTAH's mission is to support the constitutional process in Haiti while helping to maintain a secure and stable environment. The term of six months set by UNSCR 1542 has been extended to February 2006."<br />
<a href="http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/Hamlet/index_e.asp">http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/Hamlet/index_e.asp</a><br />
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Virtual Truth Commission<br />
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/~virtualtruth/haiti.htm">http://www.geocities.com/~virtualtruth/haiti.htm</a><br />
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Haiti Action Committee<br />
<a href="http://www.haitiaction.net/">http://www.haitiaction.net/</a><br />
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Haiti and Media<br />
[Canada's involvement in Haiti]<br />
"The uncomfortable truth is that the Liberal government was an important player in the campaign to destabilize and overthrow Haiti's elected government. Our government participated in the loan/aid embargo, diverted funds from the elected government to the pro-coup "civil society," held a crucial meeting with France and the U.S. to plan for Aristide's overthrow and sent troops to "secure" the airport from which Aristide was forced out of his country."<br />
<a href="http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Haiti/Haiti_Media_Canada.html">http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Haiti/Haiti_Media_Canada.html</a><br />
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A Framework for Reevaluating MINUSTAH: Illegal nature of mission will lead to a failed intervention in Hiati<br />
<a href="http://www.rfkmemorial.org/human_rights/2002_Loune/RFK_HAITI_REPORT_11_04.pdf">http://www.rfkmemorial.org/human_rights/2002_Loune/RFK_HAITI_REPORT_11_04.pdf</a><br />
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Canada in Haiti<br />
Who Engineered the Overthrow of Democracy?<br />
"Canada made itself complicit in disinformation about the Haitian elections circulated by the OAS, hosted meetings to plot the overthrow of a democratically elected government, illegally occupied the country, and knowingly participated or was complicit in the murder of Haitians opposed to the coup. For months, Martin's Liberal government ignored Aristide's requests for "a few dozen" peacekeepers. On the day he was escorted out of office by US troops, however, Canada had 500 soldiers available to occupy the country and enforce his departure."<br />
<a href="http://dominionpaper.ca/features/2004/08/25/canada_in_.html">http://dominionpaper.ca/features/2004/08/25/canada_in_.html</a><br />
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Provincials Abroad <br />
With Charest’s visit to Haiti, is Quebec conceiving a sovereign foreign policy? <br />
<a href="http://www.timecanada.com/printcolumnist.adp?columnist=Stephen_Handelman">http://www.timecanada.com/printcolumnist.adp?columnist=Stephen_Handelman</a><br />
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To rescue Haiti from chaos<br />
"As America sits relatively immobile, China takes action. 125 riot police recently became the first Chinese troops to ever enter the Western Hemisphere when they joined the marginally effective 6,700-member United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti. <br />
Elsewhere in Central and South America, China has used and continues using trade deals to forge economic alliances. President Hu Jintao recently visited Cuba, Argentina, Chile and Brazil to discuss lucrative trade agreements. Columbia and Vene-zuela are even putting aside their political differences to consider an oil pipeline to shift exports away from America and help supply China's increasing energy needs. <br />
Largely ignored, Cuba uses medical aid to solicit favor among its neighbors. More than 12,000 Haitians have received treatment from 500 Cuban medics since September. This work earns the medical personnel respect and enough support that Haitians themselves protect the Cubans from rebel attacks. <br />
China and Cuba gain support in Latin America because they understand an important truth that seems to elude America — alliances are not won with sporadic aid but with comprehensive problem-solving. Even for America's historic allies, Chinese and Cuban partnerships are preferable to seemingly vague American rhetoric about "freedom" and "democracy." <br />
For America, Haiti is an opportunity to develop a new "nation-making" strategy for helping failed states build stable, prosperous, pro-U.S. democracies. Full-spectrum American assistance to its southern neighbors is the only thing that will slow or stop unwanted Chinese and Cuban influence. <br />
Nation-building in Haiti requires three fundamental elements — infrastructure development, education and governmental reform. When economic, social, and political needs of the people are met, stability and even prosperity can follow. It is no coincidence that Haitian rebels demand only housing, clear roads and canals, and money for every child to attend school. America must offer these fundamental reforms to Haitians in a more attractive manner than help from China or Cuba."<br />
<a href="http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041130-084446-8872r.htm">http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041130-084446-8872r.htm</a><br />
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It's so easy to say we are doing the bidding of the United States. But we aren't. Canada is responsible for it's own decisions and actions. It's our responsibility to vote these people out! This government does not represent me or my Country.<br />
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<p>---<br>These days, if you are not confused, you are not thinking clearly. Mrs. Irene Peters
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Much coolness...here's my link to all the goodies on HAITI and her unpleasant experiences with her ex-colonial FranCanCorp/EuroCanuck rulers France/CanaDuh who pushed Aristide out and then attempted to shift the blame onto the AMERICAN PEOPLE of all things (but then what else is new "eh")...<br />
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<a href="http://northamericans4peace.blogspot.com/2005/06/poor-pierresighfrench-canadianla.html">http://northamericans4peace.blogspot.com/2005/06/poor-pierresighfrench-canadianla.html</a><br />
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And as a sideline here's a really cool story of the typical actions of those "heinous" American men and women serving to protect the Iraqi people from France/Canada/Syria/Germany/Iran's terrorist allies...<br />
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<a href="http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-976420.php">http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-976420.php</a><br />
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All his talk of socialism mumbo-jumbo meant nothing to him after he took power. Aristide is as corrupt as a Canadian Liberal.
A country torn by war is protected how exactly?
A country polluted by DU is protected how exactly?
A country who's delivery of food and medical supplies are restricted is protected how exactly?
A country who's hospital and infrastructure are bombed to rubble is protected how exactly?
Bombed and subsequently dead people are protected how exactly?
I'd hazard a guess the average Iraqi citizen has had all the protection they can hack by now.
DU munitions were used against armoured vehicles only during the invasion phase. And they're not some environmental catastrophe despite the best efforts of anti-American 'environmentalists'.
Terrorists do blow up markets full of people shopping, so yes, to an extent food delivery is restricted.
Terrorists do kill a lot of people, but the Iraqi government is getting stronger and the people of Iraq are getting tired of being targetted by Islamic fundamentalists - so they will do what's necessary to protect themselves from the fanatics, they have gotten a lot of work done quickly with American help, progress towards being able to stand alone against fanaticism has been impressive.
While many Canadians accept the most corrupt government in Canadian history being in power for now, that's only because the economy is doing so well and the effects of the Liberal Party stealing hundreds of millions of dollars aren't felt too much.
Canadians aren't big on having moral standards, so theft and corruption are okay in and of themselves, but when the jobless rate goes up and Liberal law firms and media outlets are still living off the fat of the taxpayers, then Canadians will want to do something about it.
Also a good point, that even if he was corrupt, how is removing him justified? The definition of democracy seems very elastic now.
And the invasion of Iraq was justified. It's about time that free countries showed some resolve and changed the middle east in order to make it a better place. Not only for the people that live there, but for us here in the West too because these tyrannical murderers want to send their poison our way. There would be a lot more peace in the world if those fascist Iranians would just stop funding terrorists.
Terrorism is the only way they can strike at us because the Islamic countries are so backwards that they can't put together conventional forces, too bad, because if they could, then it would demonstrate that they are a capable and rational group of people and we could resolve differences peacefully.
As for terrorism, read some history. The US and England have controlled the middle east for a hundred years. The thugs are there at their behest. Take a look at the pictures of Rumsfeld smiling and shaking hands with Saddam. Where do you think he got the gas to poison his own people-it's all easily found in the US records. Here's a thought, GET OUT of places that don't want you there and people will take care of themselves. The Iraqi's had been trying to overthrow Saddam for twenty years while the US kept training his troops and giving him weapons and money.
Want to stop terrorism? Start listening to the valid complaints of those pushed to extremes, otherwise, well, get used to the bombing.