#4046: What is Mike Norton on? Gill comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: markgill <markgill@ecosse.net>


I would be absolutely delighted if Aristide produced the goods, if he
managed to control corruption, if he managed to keep thugs and drug lords
out of his entourage -- these curses which afflict any politician in power
in a small or poor country -- all of it without a vicious repression
explained as being forced on the government by outside forces.  But to
raise the possibility that he might _not_ pull that off is _not_ to doom
him to failure.

***now, this is realism.....how could anyone expect Aristide to walk in,
wave his magic wand, and poof!!, sweep away all that is wrong?  yet, the
idealism of his supporters on this list seem to think he will be able to do
just that...alas, the Messiah complex is still at work, eh?

Aristide will be be up against a massive complex of problems that have been
unsolvable, at least up to the present....does a list of these need to be
recounted here?  no......

he might be able to attack some of them, perhaps many, but his magic wand
isn't long enough to sweep away generations of corruption, promote a more
sane meaning of what democracy means, find the funds to do anything, solve
the internal security problem, reform or actually create a meaningful
judicial system along with respect for law and order other than thru terror
and repression, deal with erosion, reforestation, produce clean water,
transform the economy, pave the way for reinvestment in industry and
agriculture.....(opps!! i  generated the list afterall)....

if Aristide can BEGAN this process, he will have been the most important
President in the history of the country.....especially if it paves the way
for contiuation after he is out of office.......