19638: Esser: Belated U.S. action sends poor message for democracy (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D.Esser torx@joimail.com

Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com

Editorial

CHAOS IN HAITI: Belated U.S. action sends poor message for democracy

March 2, 2004

The United States sent help to Haiti too late to underscore President
George W. Bush's message that democracy matters.

By the time the White House announced it would send a military force
to the embattled island nation, Haiti's elected president,
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was on his way into exile. The administration
urged Aristide to step aside after putting off for weeks the decision
to send troops to support him.

Officials Monday described Aristide as a corrupt and ineffective
leader for whom support could not be justified. He was, however,
chosen by election -- a touchstone of the democracy the
administration is trying to spread in Iraq and around the world. By
doing nothing to help Aristide, the United States sent a message to
insurgents everywhere that if a leader is disliked, Uncle Sam might
stand down until a revolution is successful.

At least under Aristide, with all his faults, there was a government
infrastructure within which U.S. and international forces could
operate. Now anarchy reigns, and government must be rebuilt.

Military forces also will have to keep the impoverished island's 8
million residents from fleeing 700 miles across the ocean to Florida.

The only good thing to come of this mess was the unanimous United
Nations vote authorizing international forces, then peacekeepers.
Perhaps the Iraq war fissures are not so deep after all. With U.S.
troops spread thin, an international coalition will be necessary to
put Haiti back together.

Unlike in 1994, however, when the United States bolstered the
government but withdrew before freedom or economy could take hold,
the world cannot walk away quickly. It is paying now for the last
hasty retreat. Better to stick it out until the job is done. Sadly,
it will not happen soon.

Copyright © 2004 Detroit Free Press Inc.
.