[Peace-discuss] Chomsky Replies re Haiti, Serbia

[David Green]

We don't have internal records concerning the decision to overthrow Aristide.  We do know that the Clinton administration permitted him to return (what is called the noble intervention to "promote democracy") on the condition that he accept the very harsh neoliberal program of the US-backed candidate who lost the one free election that had taken place.  It was clear at once that the result would be to devastate what was left of Haiti's economy, as it did.  France was greatly irritated by Aristide's polite request that maybe the time had come to relieve Haiti of the burden of the huge indemnity France imposed as punishment for the crime of liberation.  The US surely did not like Aristide's dragging his feet on pursuing neoliberal reforms.  That's pretty normal.  Turning to another part of the world at the same time, take the bombing of Serbia in 1999.  We have learned from the highest level of the Clinton administration that it was not undertaken in defense of Albanian
 Kosovars (as was obvious long before), but because Serbia was not undertaking the necessary "reforms" -- meaning it was holding out from the neoliberal agenda.  But just what the range of motives were we don't know in detail.  Preval seems to be trying to keep to Aristide's general program, but the obstacles are so huge that it's hard to say anything with any confidence.

 
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