25561: Durban (comment): to Simidor (25534) on Simeus' (25529) letter to GW Bush (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Dumas Simeus' (#25529) open
letter to G.W. Bush for U.S. intervention in Haiti, Daniel
Simidor's anti-U.S. reply (#25534) merits a response.

> From his bully pulpit in NYC, Mr. Simidor, it will be recalled,
was a strong advocate on this list for an early departure of
Aristide, legal formalities about a 5 year term of office be
damned.  And his was a very popular view among many in Haiti who
were distressed by Aristide's abuse of power.  It might be nice
if these folks, including Mr. Simidor, could now acknowledge the
obvious: that conditions in Haiti since Aristide's departure
have hardly improved.  Seems to me that a healthy portion of
crow might be appropriate for those who were so certain that
nothing could be worse than letting Aristide finish out the
final two years of his constitutionally-mandated term.   In his
blanket condemnation of U.S. interventions, I'm only surprised
that Simidor does not resurrect that 'modern-day kidnapping'
story, contributed by someone else who, similarly, sees only
evil intent on the part of the USA.

Of course the U.S. Administration IS looking out for American
interests; that's what it was elected to do.  The point missed
by Simidor and others, however, is that this is not a zero sum
game.  A stable, peaceful, democratic, Haiti, with friendly ties
with all of its neighbors (read: USA, DR, Jamaica, etc.) is in
American interests.  It ought to be in Haiti's interests also,
and if it takes a battalion of U.S. Marines to bring that about,
I can tell you that far more than 80% of those in Haiti would be
in favor.

But not too worry, Mr. Simidor, it is doubtful that the U.S.
will heed Mr. Simeus' call to bring on the Marines... unless of
course those in-country start a huge boat-building program on
the north coast (smile).  Seriously now, the danger of getting
stuck in an insignificant Caribbean country that few Americans
really care about while the Iraq has the U.S. military quite
busy, will almost certainly keep the U.S. from sending in the
troops.  My bet is that Haiti will be left to confront its
demons with the help of the so-far ineffectual U.N.
peace-keepers until even the U.N. tires of this thankless task.

L. Durban