Why Does US Care About Haiti

[theBruiser500]

This is the history I just read of Haiti. Aristride leads popular movement called Lavalas which overthrough US ally and dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1986. Wins "first free and fair election" in 1990 by over 2/3 vote. Speaks against US imperialism, IMF, etc. some sort of US assisted coup takes place in 1991. Aristride reinstated in 1994 and then resigns in 1995. In 2000 Aristride runs again and wins with 90% (!) of vote.

Aristride speaks against US again. US says 2000 elections were unfair and imposes aid embargo on poorest nation in Western Hemisphere. Another US coup of some sort takes place, Aristride gone, repression, and it looks like the US and the UN (??) are working together to keep this new regime in power that represses people. Why does the US care about Haiti so much and why is the UN there supporting these bad people?

[Richie Rich]

The U.S.-led UN military intervention in Haiti is a continuation of 200 years of neo-colonialism. On February 29, the United Nations Security Council handed George Bush a "mandate" to invade-—with France, Canada, and Chile as accomplices.

This is the third U.S. occupation. The other two, no less criminal, were under Democratic Party presidents. Despite Washington's support to every dictatorship in Haiti's history, the U.S. has intervened each time in the name of "democracy."

Many U.S. citizens would agree that it is in America's best interest to maintain some level of involvement over a non-democratic country that lies within "x" miles of our continental borders. Most notably because of 9/11.

[theBruiser500]

"Many U.S. citizens would agree that it is in America's best interest to maintain some level of involvement over a non-democratic country that lies within "x" miles of our continental borders. Most notably because of 9/11."

I've never heard of any Haitian terrorists. Isn't there population just 4 million? They're very poor, not a market for our goods, there is plenty of cheap labour for the US in other coutnries in the area, I've never heard of any very value natural resources there, what is the incentive? And also, what is the incentive for the UN?

[ QUOTE ]

Many U.S. citizens would agree that it is in America's best interest to maintain some level of involvement over a non-democratic country that lies within "x" miles of our continental borders. Most notably because of 9/11.

[/ QUOTE ]

Um, no. Those people are so high half the time that they are absolutely no threat. It's the same thing in Jamaica.

The reason that the United States government cares about Haiti is that they claim Haiti has an authoritarian government that is not allied with us.

[theBruiser500]

[ QUOTE ]
The reason that the United States government cares about Haiti is that they claim Haiti has an authoritarian government that is not allied with us.

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so what? there has to be some real motivating fore behind this, some economics at play some group interested in changing the govt. for a real concrete reason.

Nope. The US just likes to meddle down there.

[whiskeytown]

thank you, Monroe Doctrine....

maybe it's that nasty rumor I started about finding oil there.

RB

Haiti has nothing that the US wants.

[BonJoviJones]

When I want to know about some other country I use the CIA factbook. Seriously good stuff.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ha.html

Scroll to the bottom and check out "Transnational Issues"

[ QUOTE ]
Disputes - international:
since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island


Illicit drugs:

major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption

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Honestly I don't know, but those might be some clues. Nothing else under their 'natural resources' struck me.

Money laundering, drugs, etc certainly aren't unique to Haiti.