Comment

Comment by Jeff on January 15, 2010 at 12:29pm

I agree with you, 100% Fireguy. We are a great people here in the US with a terrible government. A criminal government in every way is my opinion. They should ALL be arrested and tried and jailed. Every last one of them and I'm not afraid to state that opinion either.

Comment by fireguy on January 15, 2010 at 12:17pm

Thanks for you answer Jeff. Our govt. is probably mostly to blame but our PEOPLE are the most generous and giving on the planet. Private donations are soaring and many Christian organizations are helping bring relief.

Comment by Jeff on January 14, 2010 at 9:42pm

The Dominican Republic is NOT a US territory.

Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are the only US territories.

Comment by Jeff on January 14, 2010 at 9:36pm

Not an easy question to answer. Keep the CIA in mind and understand that in most small countries they operate to benefit US business interests.

Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion so we've been particularly harsh with the country. As you might know very typically the American government frowns on other countries being independent and we viewed that independence with disdain. Beginning in 1915 and until 1934 we occupied the country and since then we've played a major part in controlling elections.

Aristide, Haiti's president and a liberal and religious president was ousted twice, once in 1991 after 6 months of rule and again by the US, after being re-elected in 2000 and after 4 years of rule, in 2004. Aristide was not kind to US business interests. He was actually kidnapped by US marines and flown to the The Central African Republic, a relatively unknown African country. Aristide was the hope that Haiti once had, far from perfect but better than anyone else they've ever had.

The Dominican Republic was under, until very recently, through the mid 70s, I think 1976, a military dictatorship which pandered easily to US interests. That dictatorship was overthrown and replaced with a democratic republic type of government. You might remember the names Papa Doc Duvalier and Baby Doc Duvalier, father and son, both murdering dictators.

The political machinations of the two countries left Haiti a dusty poverty stricken country and the Dominican Republic a tourist paradise and golfers dream. It's really just the way the political cards were dealt. That doesn't make what we've done over many years proper or right.

It's the result of US foreign policy being dictated by US business interests.

Comment by Marklar on January 14, 2010 at 9:13pm

The Dominican Republic is a US territory like Puerto Rico and several other places. Haiti on the other hand is not. The Dominican republic being a territory of the US is economically exploited but enjoys some protections under US law that a sovereign nation like Haiti never will.

Comment by fireguy on January 14, 2010 at 8:05pm

Pardon my ignorance on the subject of haiti but why is the dominican republic not oppressed by the united states?