Is America taking over Haiti?

[William33 110]

It's Workers World. What else would you expect from one of the last true unrepentant commie organs?

Arggg...No further comments, as my perspective is lost.... left for others to debate.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't want to do nation building right.

I don't want to do it at all.

I'm no isolationist, and I believe America should project her power abroad to defend her own vital interests.

But that's it. Full stop.

Haven't the Haiti people suffered enough? They're never going to be able to do it on their own.

What if Hugo Chavez sweet talks Haiti into becoming a Venezuelan territory? Should we let them?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

They're never going to be able to do it on their own.

Even if that was true..... so what? What makes it our problem?

What if Hugo Chavez sweet talks Haiti into becoming a Venezuelan territory? Should we let them?

No. We restore things back to where our interests are protected and leave.

[scandal 951]

Haven't the Haiti people suffered enough? They're never going to be able to do it on their own.

What if Hugo Chavez sweet talks Haiti into becoming a Venezuelan territory? Should we let them?

Private organizations and NGOs were doing lots of good things in Haiti in the past few years.

I have no objection to Americans or others helping a destitute country - that's very noble. But I'm not in favor of "nation building" in the sense of a major long term GOVERNMENTAL obligation.

To address your hypothetical: If Chavez were to exert influence there, we'd have to evaluate. If that is realistically perceived as a threat to US interests, we should deal with it on that basis. Caution though: I think by now Americans are quite jaundiced to domino theories like this. Been there and done that in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, not to mention closer to home in Nicaragua and El Salvador. If puny third world countries wanna go Commie - let 'em.

No. We restore things back to where our interests are protected and leave.

WORD.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Even if that was true..... so what? What makes it our problem?

No. We restore things back to where our interests are protected and leave.

Our humanity dictates that what Haiti really needs isn't just earthquake relief. I think I heard that there are over a million Haitians living here in the U.S.. We could really do this right.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Our humanity dictates that what Haiti really needs isn't just earthquake relief.

Our budget dictates otherwise. Sorry, maybe next time!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Private organizations and NGOs were doing lots of good things in Haiti in the past few years.

I have no objection to Americans or others helping a destitute country - that's very noble. But I'm not in favor of "nation building" in the sense of a major long term GOVERNMENTAL obligation.

To address your hypothetical: If Chavez were to exert influence there, we'd have to evaluate. If that is realistically perceived as a threat to US interests, we should deal with it on that basis. Caution though: I think by now Americans are quite jaundiced to domino theories like this. Been there and done that in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, not to mention closer to home in Nicaragua and El Salvador. If puny third world countries wanna go Commie - let 'em.

Humantarian aid has never pulled Haiti out its perpetual state of dire poverty.

Think Marshall Plan...on a much smaller scale.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Galt's gallstones

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Think Marshall Plan...on a much smaller scale.

I fail to see how that helps us.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Our budget dictates otherwise. Sorry, maybe next time!

Actually, we'd benefit by the jobs created in helping to rebuild Haiti. This may happen even if we don't make Haiti a U.S. Territory.

[scandal 951]

Our humanity dictates that what Haiti really needs isn't just earthquake relief. I think I heard that there are over a million Haitians living here in the U.S.. We could really do this right.

<sentence 1> Our humanity dictates that what Haiti really needs isn't just earthquake relief.

<sentence 2> I think I heard that there are over a million Haitians living here in the U.S.. We could really do this right.

Steve,

I've labeled your 2 sentences in this post.

I agree 100% with your first one. I hope that the aid to Haiti continues into long lasting and permanent reconstruction of its physical infrastructure and civil infrastructure. Lord knows they need help.

As to your second sentence, if by "do this right" you mean "nation building", I really don't agree with you at all. Just when do we learn - the LEFT AND the RIGHT - that nations around the world want to determine their fates for themselves. They don't WANT or NEED us to create their national identities for them and it's invariably counterproductive to try to do so.

GWB came into office saying "no nation building" and wound up on a failed mission to do precisely that in Iraq.

We've tried it in Vietnam, and in Central America. ENOUGH!!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Actually, we'd benefit by the jobs created in helping to rebuild Haiti. This may happen even if we don't make Haiti a U.S. Territory.

We could stand to do a lot of rebuilding right here at home. Why create jobs in Haiti?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I fail to see how that helps us.

The U.S. benefited greatly with Western Europe's growth and prosperity. There's no reason not to believe that lifting Haiti up will be a long term benefit to the region.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Western Europe was prosperous before WW2. So unless you want to Marshall-plan Haiti back to the way it was last week (pre-quake), I don't see your point.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steve,

I've labeled your 2 sentences in this post.

I agree 100% with your first one. I hope that the aid to Haiti continues into long lasting and permanent reconstruction of its physical infrastructure and civil infrastructure. Lord knows they need help.

As to your second sentence, if by "do this right" you mean "nation building", I really don't agree with you at all. Just when do we learn - the LEFT AND the RIGHT - that nations around the world want to determine their fates for themselves. They don't WANT or NEED us to create their national identities for them and it's invariably counterproductive to try to do so.

GWB came into office saying "no nation building" and wound up on a failed mission to do precisely that in Iraq.

We've tried it in Vietnam, and in Central America. ENOUGH!!

Haiti has it's own unique circumstances for one. It is a very small country and very poor. They don't need golden escalators, just a solid infrastructure to build upon. Earthquake ready buildings for starters.

[scandal 951]

The U.S. benefited greatly with Western Europe's growth and prosperity. There's no reason not to believe that lifting Haiti up will be a long term benefit to the region.

Steve, stop it. Please don't say you seriously want to compare Germany and Western Europe Post WWII to Haiti.

Germany had an educated workforce, industry, an infrastructure, civic institutions. It had been a major industrialized world economy long before the War, and before the Marshall Plan. It was entirely predictable that it would rise again as such a world power.

We also had clearly good reasons to invest efforts in a liberal post-war Germany. The horrors of WWI and WWII were proof enough of the need to never allow such a thing there again.

Haiti? Get real. There is a humanitarian crisis, sure. But there's no similar compelling American national interest.