America’s contempt for the world; CARICOM Standing Firm

[struggle4progress]

<snip>
In addition, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice has warned CARICOM leaders that if one US soldier is killed in Haiti, Caribbean governments will be held responsible because the Aristide family was granted sanctuary in the region.
<snip>
In short, the Bush administration is strong-arming the Caribbean to confer on Haiti’s new “government,” headed by Gerard Latortue, a legitimacy it has not earned and does not deserve. Indeed, 33 of the 39 members of the Congressional Black Caucus stayed away from a recent Washington meeting arranged by two congressmen for Latortue.
<snip>
Haiti was welcomed as a full member of CARICOM because its people had established a democratic form of government. After the recent shattering of that democracy, Caribbean heads of government decided to maintain support for the people of Haiti but allow democratic elections to determine who will represent Haiti in the councils of CARICOM. ‘We are the children of slaves,” one Caribbean national explained. “And so, we stay away from the tyranny of the unelected.... If America thinks that an unelected government is fine for Haiti, when will they say that an unelected government is best for my country?”

The Bush administration, however, has been implacable. Its officials were to have come to the Caribbean in April and May to discuss, among other things, terrorism, but the administration presented Caribbean governments with an ultimatum: no recognition of Latortue, no meetings between the United States and the Caribbean leaders. CARICOM reminded US officials that Latortue was not elected by anyone. And so the meetings are off. Why is the unelected Latortue more important to the Bush administration than the Caribbean’s 14 democratically elected governments?
<snip>
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewViewNewsleft.cfm?Record=17887

[JohnyCanuck]

1. I think I can answer this one.

Why is the unelected Latortue more important to the Bush administration than the Caribbean’s 14 democratically elected governments?

Basically because they are economically and militarily powerless when compared to the US. Barbados is a country of 166 square miles. It's got a couple coast guard cutters and a miniscule army/defense force of about 600. Most of the other Caricom members are about the same size with a few like Trinidad, Jamaica Belize and Guyana being somewhat larger with a few more natural resources. Just about all the smaller island members of Caricom have zero in the way of natural resources, unless you count tourist attracting sandy beaches and coconut palms as natural resources. If Dubya felt he could tell old Europe to go piss up a rope when they displeased him, he'll feel even less compunction over pushing around a bunch of (to him) upstart, pipsqueak Caricom members for daring to question the edicts of his Chimperial Highness.

[struggle4progress]

2. * must be reading "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People"