a1889: murky conditions (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Paul Miller <psmiller@twincities.infi.net>

Last week we had dinner with friends.  My friend, who has been to Haiti on
numerous occasions, was wondering where the truth lies.  He hears so many
negative things about President Aristide.

In times of murky conditions, maybe there is guidance in the following
historical patterns:

US favored leaders
(Shah of Iran, Ferdinand Marcos, Augusto Pinochet, Joseph Mobuto, Papa
Doc Duvalier, ...........)

US disfavored leaders
(Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, Patrice Lumumba, Fidel Castro ...............)

US favored, than disfavored, leaders / quasi leaders
(Saddum Hussein, Manuel Noriega, Vladimir Montesinos...........)

Now I recognize that if the US favors one leader or type of leader over
another doesn't mean that the disfavored leader's days are numbered.
President Bush may prefer red, white and blue over yellow, brown and black
but that doesn't mean he would have policies that favor those colors, per
se.  Former President Bush didn't drop napalm on brochholi for heaven's
sake.

Most of us would agree that Aristide has never had US favored leader status.
The question follows than;  What is it we like about a leader that gives
them favored status (remembering back to grade school math that 3 elements
in a set establish a pattern)?  What common factors grant an unfavorable
status?  What can change  a leader's status?