[Salon] Haitian divorce or, a triumph of hope over experience...

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

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Haitian divorce

or, a triumph of hope over experience...

Talleyrand Mar 14

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A number of diplomats including the American Secretary of State have been holding a seminar over what to do about Haiti, which appears to have fallen into a state of anarchy.

They have decided to form a ‘transitional council’ to be followed with elections and accompanied by an expeditionary force of Kenyan soldiers to maintain law and order.

What could go wrong?

Not much, according to the United Nations’ man on the scene, William O’Neill:

Many gang members in Haiti are teenagers, he said, who are looking to be paid but who probably have little interest in going to war with a well-armed police force.

The gangs respect ‘fear and force’, Mr O’Neill said. ‘They fear a force stronger than they are’.

Until they don’t.

Some Haitians aren’t having it. One is Guy Philippe, an ex-convict and coup leader described by the New York Times as ‘the criminals’ most prominent political ally’:

‘The decision of Caricom is not our decision’, he said, referring to the regional trade bloc whose leaders presented the plan to create a transitional council. ‘Haitians will decide who will govern Haiti’.

Anarchy notwithstanding, the ‘criminals’ are ostensibly united. They have succeeded in deposing the president and forcing him into exile. They command the capital and the ports. If they can bring order and keep it, Bob’s your uncle.