Saturday, April 09, 2005
Haiti, One Year Later
"Peacekeeping" in Haiti
"JUST MORE THAN a year after U.S. forces escorted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile, Haiti remains in crisis. Heavily armed gangs loyal to Mr. Aristide or to drug traffickers roam urban neighborhoods; former army and security forces of the military dictatorships that preceded him control much of the countryside. More than 400 people have died in political violence just since September, ranking Haiti with Iraq as a zone of debilitating insecurity. A timid U.N. peacekeeping force has been as ineffectual as the politically isolated interim government. Economic reconstruction from last year's warfare and subsequent natural disasters has barely begun: International donors failed to deliver 80 percent of the aid they pledged last year.
In short, Haiti remains what it was a year ago: a quasi-failed state 600 miles from the United States. Sadly, U.S. policy hasn't changed much either. The Bush administration still aspires to delegate Haiti's troubles to other countries or international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States [emphasis added]. One direct result of this policy is the continued insecurity, since the Brazilian-led U.N. force of 7,400 has lacked the capability or willpower to disarm the thugs."
from the Washington Post editorial, "Haiti, One Year Later."
"The top ten reasons why John Bolton shouldn't confirmed as ambassador to the UN" via (Washington Monthly)
Tom DeLay and his cronies are still wilin' out crazy. It's time they all got hammered. (last two links via am-New York)
'Cos sh-t is getting very scary, yo.
Wonder what DeLay and crew have to say about this?
And why the catholic church will never get it: "Cardinal Law, ousted in the U.S. priest abuse scandal, was named by the Vatican today as one of nine prelates who will have the honor of presiding over funeral Masses for Pope John Paul II." (full article The New York Times | related: John Paul II Marvel comic book, spotted via Catchdubs)
“These pieces of paper are as worthless as my soul.”
"The Bush administration pays lip service ending homelessness — while undermining the programs that keep people from ending up in the streets." (full article "Killing Off Housing for the Poor" The New York Times)
Chaos at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Twice?! WTF?!
While also in Iraq "Provincial Elections Stir Trouble."
I swear I have no this much faith in all these new drugs they advertise on TV nowadays. Doesn't the FDA do their job any more? I'm not fccking with any of them, f'real: "Pfizer Pulls the Pin on Bextra" | "Viagra May Cause Vision Loss"
Is it any wonder that Bush has the "Lowest Approval Rating Ever"? (related: "Bush Less Popular than Richard Nixon" )
