Airport chaos as hundreds scramble to leave Haiti

[Say_What]

<clips>

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Hundreds of people tried desperately to leave Haiti today aboard an Air Canada jet and other international flights as blood was shed for a second consecutive day near the Port-au-Prince airport. More Canadian military personnel flew into the violence-riddled country.

A crush of people swarmed the metal barricades outside the departure area of the Mais Gates International Airport, held back by heavily armed U.S. marines inside as the major foreign carriers flew into the Haitian capital for the first time since they had halted flights Feb. 29.

... Just metres from the airport grounds, a man's body lay face down in a pool of blood on a sidewalk in the middle of a roundabout, apparently shot as U.S. marines stood guard around an industrial park. U.S. military officials could not confirm whether their soldiers were involved in the shooting.

The body remained in place for hours, seemingly unnoticed by those walking within inches of it — with the exception of one person who stooped quickly to steal the deceased man's shoes, revealing his torn skin and tattered, dirty white socks.

Another man had been shot dead by U.S. marines in the same area on Monday as hundreds of people tried to loot buildings inside the business park's walled compound.

Back at the airport, screams could be heard as the crowd pushed in on itself.

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[peacetalksforall]

1. Yep, we really protected the people...

we brought a whole armload full of peace.

And those banking politicos are sitting in some office somewhere working out the next step.

Is the medical training school still closed down?

Are our soldiers glad they are not in Iraq or what?

How many years will we be in Haiti?

And when are we going to blow up the bridges, bomb the energy plants, and then rebuild it all with Halliburton in charge?

Bitter, so bitter...a poor little country whose people don't deserve imperialism.

Where are the French...still sucking it up with the banking people?

Where are the French Canadians - with the other banking and planning people?

[Imalittleteapot]

2. The Haiti situation makes me teary.

I feel helpless. What can I do? To start, I'm going to write my Republican representatives and the Congressional Black Caucus for advice.