March 1, 2004

COOL! LET'S GO GET HUGO & FIDEL:

White House denies Aristide was kidnapped (DEB RIECHMANN, March 1, 2004, Associated Press)

The White House and Pentagon on Monday dismissed allegations that Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was kidnapped by U.S. forces eager for him to resign and flee into exile.

If only we were capable of, and willing to use, the black ops folks always accuse us of.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 1, 2004 5:22 PM
Comments

Heh, I made this very argument to a canadian: How do you know the CIA is that damn good if you keep citing American evils to CIA operations that were bungled? He tried to spin it, failed, and bailed out

Posted by: Ptah at March 1, 2004 8:25 PM

NPR ran a unconvincing nondenial denial from Rumsfeld on this. Basically, Rumsfeld says "I'm pretty sure we had a signed resignation before we got him out of the country."

Posted by: David Cohen at March 1, 2004 8:34 PM

I have a feeling that Aristide is just trying to hitch a ride on the anti-US gravy train. Making a pitch to be the latest Euro poster boy (though this seems a bit futile, given Franco-American participation in this particular project).

You have to feel for the guy, though. If Saddam and Mugabe (among others) have received such extravagant support, Aristide is surely justified in asking, "Hey, why not me?"

Posted by: Barry Meislin at March 2, 2004 2:36 AM

Note that his anti-American allies are US Congressmen.

Posted by: oj at March 2, 2004 7:27 AM

You know, I think I am sympathetic to the decision of US policymakers vs. Diem. They
should have let Aristide follow the example
of Guillaume Sam

Posted by: narciso at March 2, 2004 9:35 AM

What an ungrateful bastard... if we did as he accused, it saved his life.. if left there, the rebels would have killed him. Remind me again what our vital strategic interest in Haiti is anyway?

Posted by: MarkD at March 2, 2004 7:48 PM
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