Clinton Administration Policy Toward The Caribbean Country Of Haiti

Clinton Administration Policy Toward the Caribbean Country of Haiti

The topic for this paper is the United States policy towards the

Caribbean country of Haiti during the Clinton administration. The subjects which will be discussed are the issues of: Refugees, Foreign Aide as well as human rights the United States involvement in Haiti issues of national interests. What will also be examined is what the Clinton administration trying to achieve concerning Haiti. What the United Nations and the U.S. roles were, and what the public thought was concerning these issues. Also why the United

States was involved with the internal dispute of a third world country where the national interest was not clearly defined. The issue of why was it or was not so important for the United States to send troops to Haiti will also be discussed. The problem in Haiti was the pro democratic elected president

Aristide was exile from Haiti during a military coup. Several issues arose out of Haiti after the exile of Aristide. Issues of: human rights there were reports that the new regime brought back "death squads" killing people who opposed the new leaders. One of the main targets of the Clinton policy is a group called the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti of FRAPH. The administration has targeted this group for their continued backing and support of General Cedras, for their human rights violations.

Issues of , refugee's illegally trying to enter the United States creating an economic burden on much of south Florida. All of these issues arose during president Bush's term in office. The Bush administration was to turn back the refugee's. The Bush administration saw no vital national interest in concerning it self with the internal problems of Haiti ,because there were so many problems at home in the United States, other than to turn the refugee's away from south Florida. When president Clinton took over the office of the presidency he would become very indecisive and weak on the issue of Haiti.

President Clinton began badly on Haiti. With his continual indecision and lack of any real back bone to the policies which were decided upon. "First, he gave charge of his policy to Bush administration holdovers who over the previous year had made clear their intent to construct in Haiti a version of democracy that left the president in exile but with an Aristide - appointed prime minister and cabinet. This tortured scenario was doomed to failure because over two thirds of the Haitian people equated democratic government with the return of Aristide and no arrangement that excluded his presence could