fatvegan

Coups are tricky things. Aristide is saying that he was kidnapped by US diplomatic sorts and was taken to the Central African Republic by force. Democracy Now doesn't like that by the looks of it, and I'm not sure how I feel. But if the UN had done the same thing to someone like Saddam Hussein, I wouldn't be that fussed.

Part of the problem is that a lot of people outside Haiti like Aristide. I like him, based on the nice things I have read, and the nasty things I haven't read. He has a nice smile, and seems like a good Catholic chap (although who really knows). But I don't get the feeling that people in Haiti or old Haitians like him that much. Although I'm always wary of the views of immigrants to other countries because they never like their governments. Cuban immigrants in Florida, for example, paint a very bleak picture of Fidel and Cuba.

But kidnapping is kind of similar to "international arrest". If the UN was doing it, it would be an arrest. And I like that sort of thing. Having the ability to arrest people that the whole world things are stupid (and aren't being very democratic) is probably a good thing, in terms of peace and stability. Imagine if every time police had to arrest a criminal they had to go through an urban mini-war.

Aristide should have called elections, or at least a referendum. He should have called elections and asked for international assistance to ensure they weren't hijacked by those rebels. He reminds me a bit of Gough Whitlam who I also really like a lot. Gough should probably have called elections. But he didn't have enough faith in himself. He tried to bluff his way through. Kerr was a dog, but probably a lot of governor-generals would have done the same thing. Kerr should have given Whitlam more warning, but Whitlam shouldn't have forced him too.

If in doubt, have an election. Preferably with a bunch of UN soldiers and spectators at each polling booth. Elections are the bomb.