19622: (Hermantin)PalmBeachPost- Up to 2,000 U.S. troops may be sent to Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Up to 2,000 U.S. troops may be sent to Haiti

By George Edmonson, Palm Beach Post-Cox News Service
Tuesday, March 2, 2004



WASHINGTON -- The number of U.S. troops in Haiti could reach about 2,000,
defense officials said. A decision had not been made late Monday on whether
to station ships near the troubled Caribbean nation.

U.S. Marines, along with French and Canadian troops, continued to arrive in
Haiti and were expected to do so for several more days.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the United States would contribute
about 1,500 to 2,000 troops as part of a total force of under 5,000 troops
assembling now to help restore order to the country. He said the final U.S.
figure would depend on several factors, including the contributions of other
countries.

The United States is taking the initial leadership of the multinational
interim force, Rumsfeld said, adding that the role could go to another
country later.

Raul Duany, a spokesman at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Florida,
said about 200 Marines, 100 to 150 French troops and 30 to 60 Canadian
personnel were in Haiti early Monday. They included about 50 Marines who
were dispatched last month to help secure U.S. facilities such as the
embassy.

A day after Haiti's president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, left the country,
crowds took to the streets in the capital of Port-au-Prince on Monday to
celebrate his departure.

Rumsfeld said the mission of the U.S. forces includes securing key sites in
the capital, protecting U.S. citizens, and helping to stabilize the country
before the arrival of the U.N. force.

Appearing with Rumsfeld, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, would not discuss the rules of engagement when asked whether the
Marines would intervene to protect Haitians or prevent looting.

"But they're going to be adequately armed, not just with their personal
protective gear and their offensive weapons, but with the rules that allow
them to do the job," Myers said.

The U.N. Security Council authorized the deployment of an interim
multinational force hours after Aristide's departure. A stabilization force
is expected to take over from the interim operation in three month.

Myers said discussions were continuing on whether U.S. Navy vessels will be
positioned near Haiti.

Duany said a decision would come in the days ahead after more information on
the situation became available. A large flow of refugees toward the United
States, for example, would probably be a major factor.

At this point, there have not been major efforts by Haitians to leave, and
Myers said there were no indications that mass migrations were being
planned.

gedmonson@coxnews.com

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