Aristide holds out hand to US

[dArKeR]

Pretoria - Former Haitian leader Jean Bertrand Aristide said Monday he wanted to improve ties with the United States and France after accusing them of forcing him to resign three months ago.

"We wish to have the possibility to have a normal relationship with the US and France," said Aristide, a week after he took up temporary asylum in South Africa.

Speaking in French, Aristide added that he was "open to dialogue with the French authorities if that is what the French authorities want" and "open to dialogue with the American authorities if that is what the American authorities want."

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1539011,00.html

[Aidoneus]

1. it seems foolish to go down on his knees before them now

That is maybe not what he says, but such is what will be expected of him again. Isn't the situation clear enough to him after this?! I find it well beyond reason for normality considering what is passed. What, besides the satisfaction they steal from the meekness of their victim, does he hope to achieve with this? It is clear what they want--Duvalierism redux, and everybody Aristide had raised up put back down onto their knees.

[htuttle]

2. Seems to be taking a page from the Dalai Lama's strategy book...

Unfortunately, I don't think he's going to have much success with it either.

The alternative? Starting shipping arms to Lavalas supporters and enable them to push the Duvalierist thugs out of their country. Obviously, this would result in death and carnage, and Aristide's background as a priest would probably make that an unacceptable outcome.

Like the situation with the Dalai Lama and Tibet, it's unlikely things are going to change until the aggressor (in Haiti's case, that's the US) has a change of heart, or change of government.

I don't want to let the criminal US-engineered coup stand, but I don't think I'd want even more of Haiti's poor to die in the streets than already are now. I have no ethical or moral solutions to this situation, other than those of us in the US forcing the perpetrator, our government, to set things right since they were responsible for the wrong-doing.

[struggle4progress]

3. Aristide should forget about reasonable behavior from *&co