Posted on 02/17/2010 2:41:14 PM PST by jakerobins
French President Sarkozy announces Haiti aid plan
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Nicolas Sarkozy promised 230 million euros ($400 million) in aid for quake-stricken Haiti on Wednesday as he made the first visit ever by a French president to what was once his nation's richest colony.
Sarkozy, who was greeted by Haitian President Rene Preval as a brass band played the Marseillaise, toured a French field hospital and viewed the earthquake-ravaged capital through the door of a helicopter.
"I want only to say to the Haitian people, 'You are not alone,'" Sarkozy said at a news conference on the grounds of Haiti's National Palace, one of many government buildings shattered by the Jan. 12 earthquake.
Many were glad for the aid in a nation that was desperately poor even before the Jan. 12 catastrophe that killed more than 200,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damage.
"It is a pleasure to welcome the president because we want France to help us," said Ovulienne Fortis, 38, sitting in front of a squalid camp where hundreds of earthquake survivors now live outside.
Some Haitians also see France's renewed interest in their nation as a counterbalance to the United States, which has sent troops there three times in the past 16 years. But Sarkozy's visit is also reviving bitter memories of the crippling costs of Haiti's 1804 independence.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I guess we can add the Monroe Doctrine to the list of time honored American traditions biting the dust under BO.
Barry didn’t even have any serious intentions.
He had a photo op with the ex-presidents and washed his hands of it.
Various US military units did their part, but there was no leadership in the White House.
Marxists like Obama don’t really care about people as human beings, only as tools to achieve power.
Obama cowers from the French.... that’s priceless.
So with the contry ravaged they find time for an honor guard for Sark. What a waste of effort. Just as bad as hosting Hillary..waste of airspace.
How sad the state of our Republic has become, when the French President is more honorable than America’s own President?
Haiti would do well to have the French take back over. At least they could build a Nuclear Power plant and sell the power to the US. Let the free market do something good in that part of the world.
God knows we can’t handle anything with the idiot in chief in charge.
Lousy, inaccurate reporting from Yahoo; 230 Euros is NOT $400 million, it more like $310 Million.
230 MILLION EUROS...sheeesh
Obama criticized Bush for Katrina but what has Obama achieved in Haiti? All Obama had to contend with was a brutal dictator; Bush had to contend with a democratic governor and mayor. Haiti should have been easy by comparison
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