Aristide Kidnapped by U.S. Forces? (truthout report)

Aristide Kidnapped by U.S. Forces?
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Monday 1 March 2004

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/030204A.shtml

"Beyond the mountains, more mountains." - old Haitian proverb

The front pages of major American newspapers and the talking heads on the news channels would have you believe that the resignation of Jean-Bertrand Aristide from his presidency in Haiti was voluntary. Questions have been raised, however, about the manner in which his departure unfolded. In short, there is mounting evidence to suggest that Aristide was removed involuntarily from power by American forces.

Randall Robinson, founder of TransAfrica and a close friend to Aristide, was interviewed on CNN by Wolf Blitzer on Monday afternoon about the events unfolding in Haiti. Robinson, who is one of the few people to actually speak with Aristide since yesterday, said, "We have undertaken a coup against a democratically elected government in Haiti." Congressman Charles Rangel, who also spoke to Aristide, said later on CNN, "He was kidnapped. He resigned under pressure. He and his wife had no idea where he was going. He was very apprehensive for his life."

(snip)

"I heard it directly from him, I heard it directly from his wife," said Waters, "that they were kidnapped, they were forced to leave, they did not want to leave, their lives were threatened and the lives of many Haitians were threatened. He did not resign. He said he was forced out, that the coup was completed."

A number of key questions remain unresolved at this point. If Aristide was indeed removed from power by American forces and spirited away from Haiti by force, how was he able to make telephone calls to Rangel, Robinson and Waters? If the Bush administration had an active hand in the removal of Aristide, what was their motivation? Was there a strategic or economic reason to remove Aristide that served the policy goals of the Bush administration? Or, faced with a degenerating situation on the ground, did the administration lunge for expediency and push for the removal of Aristide as a substitute for actual diplomacy?

...more...

has a ring of truth to it.

The situation was mishandled for the past month or so (hell, maybe longer than that) and the administration knew it could do this and so they did...no muss, no fuss, no bother.

There does not seem to me any reason to doubt these reports; they have a ring of truth about them, and originate with participants. This entire episode is damnable and shabby: the rebels here are merely the former military and police elite, with a small layering of cover from well to do persons who ought to know better than to cover for these thungs, who are certain to turn on them within months and drive them out and steal their estates. Given the misery of the place, it is hard for me to condemn the poor men who have made the calculation they will do better working for the thugs than resisting them, but without men making that calculation the thugs would be powerless.

The alternative media points us toward the truth once again.

:yourock:

beyond Mountains" until I'd spent a better part of the day reading ""Tinoire's" and others post here on DU! You are a faster read than I am...lucky that you read and "retain it all" at the same time, in a way that allows you to do "reflective thinking" and crank out an article from this a.m. with your "Plea for Info" post to tonight when you already "cranked it out!"

AMAZING! WOW!

We can accept that even though Aristide was democratically elected, the situation in Haiti has been such for years that nobody could effectively run the country without outside help.

Has he been helped by the U.S. over the past several years? I do not know whether the US has or not.

The word is that his police force was corrupt and assisted dope dealers.

His government crumbled; is it because it was allowed to?

Did Aristide in fact understand that he had no choice but to leave (which is better than getting shot).

Has he turned the tables on the Bush Administration because he was left in lurch?

If so, Aristide is telling the truth but so is Colin Powell, because the truth is 2 different things in this case.

Powell did protect Aristide, because otherwise he'd be dead.

It's true, that the U.S. is not automatically obligated to prop up every government in the world.

But from what I've seen about the Bush Administration, they would withhold help and then blame the Victim for his fate.

He's saying he was coerced, his words twisted.

certainly isn't a discussion here for those of us questioning both sides and in the middle. Guess we can do "goole's" on our own.

and there REALLY WAS a faction in Haiti (not our CIA or the other stuff, me and the other Lefty's are saying) which was to blame for his downfall.

My caveat...was watching Rumsferatu, who laughed and chuckled his way through his "press thingy" with Myers. Every question they were asked Rummy looked delighted at the chance to answer and seemed very happy and full of himself with his chuckles and the rest.

I got the feeling from this "Press Conference" with Rummy/Myers that all was "Fun and Games!" Your typical Bush Admin at work saving the world and making it safe for our RW Fundamentalists/Armageddonists Christians!

I was APALLED at that Press Conference! Did anyone else see it???

:nuke: ......it's hard to know what to do but use "nuke" for emoticom!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing about this and getting the word out! Thank you...


Do you need any more info? I just got home about an hour ago and am now finally, really sitting down in front of DU.

Peace

PS... small typo: Izmérym to Izméry

If you feel like it, you could send me some further background. I'm still playing catch-up, as is a lot of the country unfortunately. No rush. You already helped a ton today. Thanks.

:toast:

:( It's not very heartening. I am desperately looking for news on the Internet.

Let me know what you need... What specifically. Also, I posted a Noam Chomsky on Haiti thread in GD. If you read his entire article, it will break your heart but its chockful of information people need to put today's happenings in their proper context.

I tried this morning to call Haiti but could not get through.

I have no idea how this is going to play out. Our history of occupation under US Marines is not good and Haitians, no matter how high the illiteracy rate, have a very long memory. If I can find photos of the last occupation, I will post them. The marines shot hundreds of rebelling peasants and one of them, Peralte, is a huge hero for resisting. I do not know how this will play out :(

Thank you for everything you're doing!

Yup, I think you've got it. They took the easy way out and they didn't much care for Aristide anyway. Faith based diplomacy once again...Do the absolute worst thing, and pray for the best outcome...

In order to figure out these guys motives, all you have to do is think of the most selfish base reasons for doing things and you'll ALWAYS find your answer there...