Administration Denies Aristide Kidnapped

AP ^ | 1 hour, 32 minutes ago | DEB RIECHMANN

[visagoth]

I like this excerpt from the WSJ Opinion Journal - Best of the Web

Kerry was also asked about the situation in Haiti, where the Bush administration ended a crisis yesterday by forcing the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who illegitimately held on to power after his elected term ended. Here's the exchange between Kerry and Dan Rather:

Rather: Senator Kerry, President Bush has made it clear that the United States will be part of an international force going to Haiti. You've been critical of that action. Tell me what your beef is with what the president is doing.

Kerry: He's late, as usual. This president always makes decisions late after things have happened that could have been different had the president made a different decision earlier.

Bumiller: Senator Kerry, what would you have done in this situation?

Kerry: Well, first of all, I never would have allowed it to get out of control the way it did.

The New York Daily News reports that Kerry told the paper's editorial board, "I would intervene with the international community, and absent an international force, I'd do it unilaterally." This is in contrast to the Bush administration's multilateral approach; last night the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1529, authorizing an international force, including Americans and Frenchmen, to keep the peace in Haiti.

Now, this is the same John Kerry who has spent the past year carping about President Bush's "failed diplomacy" and "rush to war" in Iraq. Now suddenly in Haiti he's Mr. Unilateral Pre-emption.

[BigSkyFreeper]

That who situation has been out of control for years. The media plays it out like it was suddenly a crisis a week ago.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Nevermind the fact Kerry took two sides to this issue as well.

[visagoth]

That last guy (Representitive?)from Florida... said "We are very troubled about this terrorist takeover."

Isn't that special - saying his own country, that undoubtably saved Aristide's ass from certain death engaged in a 'terrorist takeover'.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Exactly. Had we not gone in there like we did, the rebels would have assassinated the guy, and the Democrats would have been madder still, and the UN would have been trying to form a quorum.

[Ohioan]

Bill Clinton installed Aristides. That's why the Democrats are acting like they are. The Democrats haven't been angry that Aristides was a thug criminal. They've been angry that a Republican administration ended the reign of one of the Democrats puppet regimes.

You have the first part right. Bill Clinton misused the U.S. Military to run off our natural ally, General Cedras, a West Point Graduate, who had liberated Haiti from Aristide, the first time. That was one of the grounds for impeachment, which should have been raised, rather than the one growing out of a sexual escapade.

I only wish you were right about the second part. While, I am sure that the Administration is glad to see Aristide gone, they keep talking the same silly business about foisting "Democracy," on Third World peoples, which the Democrats have been promoting since 1961--if not before.

Democracy in the Third World does not ordinarily work. (See Democracy In The Third World.)

William Flax

[Kaslin]

Rush was talking about this on his show today, and he said he just watched the video of Aristide getting off the plane smiling and waving to the crowd. If he had been kidnapped he would have not smiled. These morons just lie and it's not surprising

[Eric in the Ozarks]

UN believeable.

[#3Fan]

It's a stupid conspiracy theory. A little reasoned though shows this to be an idiotic claim. We could have simply done nothing and let the rebels remove him from power their way. (machete sounds likely)

Yeah, it's starting to look like he should've gotten the Mussolini treatment.

[Brilliant]

We should send Powell to be the governor of Haiti. They can't run their own country, and the Dems insist that we do it for them.

[sheikdetailfeather]

I saw a network news report of this on ABC and they surmised that maybe he said he was kidnapped so the people would not think he was a coward for fleeing and he may be able to return one day.

[elli1]

I saw a network news report of this on ABC and they surmised that maybe he said he was kidnapped so the people would not think he was a coward for fleeing and he may be able to return one day.

I guess it was just toooooo inflamatory for ABC to just call Aristide & Maxine Waters what they are: Liars.

[BJungNan]

This one is too easy. Simply offer him a plane ride back. "Sorry Mr. Aristide, we thought you wanted to leave. We have a jet waiting for you - Destination: Haiti. Will you have a car waiting or should we drive you back to your palace?"

[BJungNan]

And the media dutifully reported as usual
The Democrats have LOST THIER MINDS!!

It is absolutely childish of any major news media to take such allegations seriously and report them.

This is akin to (elementary) school yard style reporting and regurgitating of the Dem's charge that the "Republicans wanted to starve children."