morbid view of Haiti

No surprise. We also shrugged off the evils of Papa Doc Duvalier and his spawns by claiming he was anti-communism. We are very good at seeing only what we want to believe.

Interesting topic - but not very PC to discuss it these days.

Haiti has endured disfunctional and tyrannical governments for most of its history. The late, unlamented President Duvalier was only the most prominent - not even the worst. It isn't clear that the billions poured into the country, now more than a decade ago following the last presidential crisis, have accomplished much besides possibly creating a systematic dependency on outside aid. All things considered a desperate and perversely difficult situation.

It may be all this is an enduring legacy of a founding revolution gone wrong in the hands of a self-renewing cadre of criminal tyrannical leaders, who after nearly two centuries have left deep scars on the character of Haitian society. President Clinton made some rather serious efforts to improve the situation there in the 1990s. However, I have the impression he ended up content just to get the hell out.

I any event I believe any lasting improvement for the people of Haiti will have to come from within. We have a moral obligation to help them out of this disaster, but I hope we will leave it at that.

hard to believe that I would fail at proper PC eh George?
I mean, really George, the government of Haiti was just as democratically elected as was Iraq and Afghanistan, how come they haven't followed our guidence towards freedom and equality for all escaping the generations of corruption?

Is the U.N coordinating relief efforts of all countries? Are the French involved, in context of its historical relationship to Haiti? Is the other half of the island (the Dominican Republic) involved in the relief effort?

For those that criticize the U.S. for sometimes supposedly acting like the "policeman of the world," this relief effort that the U.S. will have a major role, is another "police function." This should be kept in mind when the "police function" is not earthquake relief.

I always thought you were the dregs of humanity and you are proving it again.

What a despicable being!

The Haitians made a pack the Devil and he threw the French out. True Story.

I do not believe that Haiti made a pact with the Devil. However, in its rebellion against the French, they did scare the bejesus out of the American plantation owners. Or, so I read.

Hey, if Germany can be forthright about the Holocaust, should not the French do something for Haiti (in context of its historical involvement with the people)?

And, ad-hominems directed at me do not change history! Why so sensitive about a little constructive criticism directed towards France? Is France above reproach? Notice how many people in the world criticize the U.S.A. France should not have to tolerate one word of "constructive criticism"?

You poor fool!

France is doing as much as any other country, if not more, to help and bring some solace to this people in pain.

Your pseudo-historical barbs just demonstrate your inherent misanthropy.

Hey Francis, Foofie still thinks you guys are dressed like this:

I thought he was a sore old man, but not to that point..

I was wrong, GW..

I'm don't even know if Foofie is male or female. I have Foofie on "ignore". I get enough stupidity on the radio, TV and internet that I don't need Foofie adding to the slush pile.

don't let me interfere with this delightful segue but I'm still interested in thoughts about just what can be accomplished in Haiti. There has not been publifc potable water for decaes, the school system is non-existent as well as public medical care. There is no infrastructure to repair. What should/can be the mission of the USA let alone the UN and the rest of the world (including France) In simple terms for the many simple posters, Now that we are there, what is it we can do?

My only suggestion at this point in time is to support the NGO's that are there and pull out all US Military within 2 weeks.

There is a lot to be done in the short-term. Medical care and supplies are desperately needed, for example -- just the most basic cleaning, suturing, antibiotics, that sort of thing can do a whole lot of good and save a whole lot of lives at this point.

This is a case of what do you get the person who has nothing? It might be a chance to begin a more stable, better functioning country, but it will take a lot of dedicated (honest!) people to oversee the process. If corruption is the rule it is not going to be easy to get around it. I'm hoping some of the corporations, who donated large sums of money, and the relief groups will be given a voice in the What To Do Next? phase of the crisis. However, it's hard to build a country when you have so few resources both of the natural and the manmade kind.

The Tiny House blog is looking for ideas for new types of housing for Haiti that might function better, but be economical to build. I've posted the site before, but just scroll down a little to Jan 14th for the Haiti post:
http://tinyhouseblog.com/

Not likely. My old ship (Carl Vinson) is there now.

The last experience with the Aristede political crisis involved heavy U.S. and International involvement that extended over several years and involved rather large sums. In the end we all left in exhaustion and frustration. I fear the solution will have to come from within, and that an unintended (and perhaps inescapable) side effect of the assistance is to breed dependence into a society that needs the opposite. I agree that NGOs may be able to do better. In fact I don't know how much (or little) good they have done over the last decade.

Earthquakes such as this one have caused as much or more death and destruction in other parts of the world. We just didn't pay as much attention to them.

yes I agree and that's where I would use the military to get the ball rolling and turn it all over (with massive support) to NGO's

George, we don't have to repeat the same mistakes we made in the past. (all this is just my out-loud thinking)