You know, there's an easy solution to the Aristide confusion

[priller]

If Aristide is supposedly safely tucked away in Africa, by his own decision, all he has to do is make a public statement. The fact the he is incommunicado only helps the rumors swirl.

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. They have his wife too

[tigereye]

3. NPR just reported that he is saying that he was forced

to leave by US troops at gunpoint, hustled on a plane with no phone call. US says ( Powell) that this is hogwash and absurd.

[goddess40]

4. Do you believe Powell

I think most of us would have a hard time believing him (or any of Bush's admin.) about anything!

[tigereye]

10. no not necessarily that's just how they quoted him

Haven't paid much attention to Haiti for a while, I'm afraid. I remember when Aristide was elected that there was so much hope. Didn't know he had become so corrupt?!

[Festivito]

18. Indeed, Powel can skirt the truth.

No one asks:
Was there an ABC cameraman present as Aristide went to the plan?
INSTEAD, we get that there are no pictures.
Did the cameraman ask to take pictures?
Did the cameraman refuse to identify himself to reporters?

Did Aristide have handcuffs on?

Are any of the Aristide bodyguards from the Stele company on the US payroll?

Were any of our paid people part of moving Aristide to the plane.

If the bodyguards are not our men, how did we know Aristede wanted to go.

Did Aristide ask to make a phone call?

Did Aristide ask to address the public?

INSTEAD, we get indignation and assertions that prove and say nothing.

[scarletwoman]

5. Okay -- so you heard it too!

I wasn't sure if I caught it right. And I can't remember the name of the person who was supposed to have spoken to Aristide.

sw

[DuctapeFatwa]

12. Charles Rangel, Maxine Waters, Randall Robinson have all talked to him

All have recounted their conversations with him on CNN.

Their accounts are consistent with that of the palace caretaker, who was interviewed yesterday by AFP.

Someone slipped him a cell phone at some point. Rangel gave CNN a number. It is unlikely that he still has the cell phone.

[scarletwoman]

13. What have they said?

I don't have cable, and I've been "incommunicado" all day myself. I also don't know what the palace caretaker said.

Can you give a synopsis? It would be much appreciated.

sw
:hi:

[DuctapeFatwa]

14. about 20 marines with machine guns forced him and his wife out of the

palace and onto a plane at gunpoint. They would not tell him where he was going, or let them raise the shades. They stopped twice, he doesn't know where.

When they got to Central African Republic, they put them in a room with no TV and no telephone.

[scarletwoman]

15. Thanks!

That's essentially the same story I heard on NPR earlier.

I hope Waters, et al, don't back down and really raise a big stink about this! How much lawlessness and mayhem are bushco going to be allowed to get away with?

On the other hand, I'm also wondering about Aristide's chances for an unfortunate sudden demise...

sw

[scarletwoman]

2. I was listening to NPR on the way home from work

What I THOUGHT I heard is someone saying that he had spoken to Aristide in Africa and that Aristide says that he and his family were taken into custody (no phone calls allowed) by about 20 U.S. military personnel and hustled to the airport, and that they also accompanied the Aristide family on the flight.

I've been at work all day (no access to the internet), so I don't know what kinds of stories have been circulating around DU. I just got in the door, and I'm about to dial up NPR and see if I can hear some more about this.

sw

(edited for typo)

[leanings]

6. He ain't incommunicado

He's made two phone calls and a radio address.

[Tinoire]

16. Do you have a link to this radio address?

This is the first I hear of a radio address!

[K8-EEE]

7. I Don't Understand Why They Don't Let Him Talk

It certainly would clear up the rumors, just put him on the damn phone and let him do an interview.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN...for obvious reasons.

[ewagner]

8. CNN..thru Blitzer

says they have been trying to contact Aristide all day.

Aristide's lawyer was on FAUX with John Gibson a while ago repeating his conversation with Aristide and essentially calling Powell a liar.
Gibson of course attacked the hell out him for the statement...called his charges "wild" and said he wouldn't let him "slander" Powell without facts....hehehe the lawyer gave facts.

[leanings]

9. Is it just me, or is there a disconnect here?

It looks like there are two possibilities at this point:

1. US troops kidnapped Aristide and shuffled him off to Africa in order to further (insert agenda here).

2. Aristide bowed to international pressure, a healthy sense of fear for his own safety and/or concern for his citizens in the event of a gunfight in Port-au-Prince. The "kidnapping" claim is a play on the part of Aristide so that he doesn't look bad in front of his supporters for getting while the getting was good and an attempt to thro a jab at the US.

I'm leaning towards two at the moment. If Aristide was kidnapped, how did he make the phone calls? How would the US think it could plausibly deny making such a move? Where are the witnesses? Who's complicit? Why didn't Aristide mention it during his radio address? Why don't tapes of Aristide's arrival show any US soldiers with him? As usual, the challenge is this: explain the mechanics of the conspiracy.

But it's far from clear what went down. Either way, we're not going to be hearing a statement from Aristide.

[hedda_foil]

11. Chris Dodd on Blitzer NAILED bushco!

I'm floored. Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and apparently he was one of those who escorted Aristide back to Haiti after the previous coup was put down by the Clinton administration. Dodd is very mainstream and very credible ... usually agrees with Hagel, Lugar, Biden and the other Council on Foreign Relations members on both sides of the aisle(including Kerry). Dodd gave an excellent summary of what has gone down that literally matched point for point with Democracy Now's reporting, including a full historical account of what has gone before. He was given plenty of time. Wolfie pushed back with questions that tried to pin the blame on Aristide and Dodd slapped him down easily and completely.

I've seen US backed coups aplenty, but NEVER one where the coup was immediately unmasked in the national media (by a senior statesman, no less) as US sponsorship of thugs and gangsters against a reasonably competent, democratically elected government. It just doesn't happen.

This was amazing! I honestly am beginning to believe that Bush is going down.

[Tinoire]

17. That is GREAT news! I hope I can cach this tonight! n/t