Perhaps it should be made clear why I introduced this topic. I really expected a balanced discussion of the pros and cons behind the theory, and with the exception of Jihad Jane we seem to have degenerated into a patriotic discussion of why the US is so moral and great.
Next time you start a thread to trash the US make sure it's about something the US did that was
actually bad. A thread on the extermination of the natives perhaps?
I find this attitude rather annoying since patriotism blinds the truth.
Hatred also blinds you know. Maybe we're not defending the US out of patriotism (Pardalis and Skeptic aren't Americans you know) but because on this topic you are just
wrong.
I have no such claims for my country or totalitarian Marxist regimes, most of the latter which were utterly corrupt. I just think the West are just more subtle about the way they use the media to control the people. If it is obvious it doesn't work!
Ah yes, those that disagree with me have been brainwashed. Outside of
Lost, NFL games and some documentaries on PBS I never watch TV. Yet I've disagreed with just about every proposition you have brought forth. So don't go down the road of assuming I'm a puppet of the media. It's bad enough you seem to think I'm some sort of radical neo-con.
Coming back to Haiti, it is easy to polarise the discussion into either
a) it was an blatant invasion by the US with the sole purpose of controlling the people or
b) the large presence of the US military is an inevitable consequence of the need for security whilst delivering aid in an already unstable country where the government functions have totally broken down due to the earthquake
There is the third option that I have already explained to you: the US military has a singularly unique capability of logistically supporting large numbers of people in sparse environments. In other words the military presence isn't even for "security" but because it can do the things that need to be done to dig the country of Haiti out of the rubble.
The Haitians need water: The US Navy has experience with establishing desalination plants quickly.
The Haitians need food: The US Air Force can airlift in food and the Army has experience with storage and distribution.
The Haitians need roads cleared and rubble removed: The US Army and USMC both have huge ships loaded with construction equipment that can accomplish this. They also have construction battalions that train for this type of clean up.
The Haitians need medical support: The US Navy has combat ships with large hospitals on board as well as huge dedicated hospital ships. The Army can establish MASH facilities.
The Haitians need ports and airports: The Navy has special units that can repair and even build whole new ports. The Air Force trains to open new airports in harsh environments.
Usually the truth lies between these two extremes.
One extreme can be closer to the truth than the other.
No doubt there are some genuine people in high places within the US administration who wish to help the Haitian people, no doubt there is a need for a higher security presence than in other disaster relief situations.
Do you even have any evidence that there is more of a security presence in Haiti than there was for....say Katrina? I've already explained to you that only a small portion of the military units in Haiti are combat units.
However, it is unrealistic given the history of US influence in Latin America that the Pentagon didn't stress the need for a large military presence.
A large military that
can do the things the Haitians need.
This is symbolic of who is really in charge, and a reminder to Aristide and his supporters that a revolution is unacceptable.
Only you seem to think there is anything malicious going on. Aristide was put back in power once by the US and then removed by his own people.
