Haitian President at White House: US Military Occupation to Continue

Obama told reporters, "The international community can pledge the resources that will be necessary for a coordinated and sustained effort, and, working together, we can ensure that assistance not simply delivers relief for the short term, but builds up Haiti’s capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the Haitian people over the long term."

In reality, Obama has pledged to ask Congress to allocate a paltry $1 billion in relief funds for Haiti, the equivalent of a few days’ spending on the wars in the Middle East and Central Asia. The figure does not begin to address the immense social need overwhelming the devastated country. Preliminary reports have shown that it will likely cost as much as $14 billion to rebuild the Haitian infrastructure, which was in wretched shape at time of the quake.

Of the Haitian government’s response to the tragedy, Obama told Préval in front of reporters, "Even as you and other Haitian leaders have endured your personal tragedies—losing your own homes, your loved ones—you have carried on with great courage and determination." In fact, Préval was essentially invisible in the first weeks following the earthquake. The president and his entire government proved useless and impotent in the face of disaster and the desperate needs of the Haitian population. Thousands have taken to the streets in protests against the regime’s inaction.'

Read more...