Porter Goss: “Haiti is back on the front pages again. Sadly, each day brings reports of another protest in Washington, another random…”

“Haiti is back on the front pages again. Sadly, each day brings reports of another protest in Washington, another random act of violence in cite soleil or elsewhere in Haiti, another zig--or is it a zag--in the administration's policy. Often contradictory, generally ineffective, the President's policy in Haiti lacks simply this: A clearly defined objective and a realistic assessment of the means with which to achieve it. Perhaps most disturbing is the word this week that some officials, including the White House, are partial to the idea of using United States military force to control the situation in Haiti. Frankly, this is one of the worst ideas I have heard in a long time among a lot of other bad ideas I have heard about Haiti. Let us be clear on this point: We do have a tremendous interest in helping democracy succeed in Haiti. We are friends who should help a friend in need. But, you cannot accomplish that objective at the barrel of a gun. Haiti is in the grips of a brutal civil war. It is Haitians killing, raping, and maiming each other. It is a conflict generally impervious to externally imposed solutions. It has been going on for generations. It is a Haitian problem--that ultimately requires a Haitian solution. American soldiers do not belong there on any missions until the Haitians have achieved some level of accord and stability among themselves.”