Clinton Foreign Policy Essay, Research Paper

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

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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 rule

without massive repression.”

“The Clinton foreign policy team so recognized this error and appointed a former

ambassador wise in the ways of Latin American dictators, Lawrence Pezzullo to head up

Haitian policy. Things began to move. In mid 1993, a United Nations sponsored

agreement was signed a Governors Island, New York. In return for removal of the oil cut

off which Clinton administration had promoted within the United Nations, plus a four -

month transition period, the army agreed to the return of President Aristide, the

installation of a consensus government and replacement of the army high command.” It

looked as though a transition from arbitrary, oligarchic rule towards constitutional

government had been found.

In short the Clinton foreign policy towards Haiti was to remove the leaders of the

military coup and return exiled President Jean – Bertrand Aristide to power. The policy

was also designed to put pressure on the military government in the way of a United

Nations trade embargo. the hope was to bring the leader of the new government to their

knees and hope the leaders would return the government back to the people of Haiti.

The history and the political background of Haiti is a history of oligarchic rule,

and fear of the government. Their country in the early part of the century until 1950’s

was basically under the thumb of the United States government. “In 1915, the United

States , acting under the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, occupied Haiti to

straighten out its finances, pay off foreign debts , and ensure stable government.

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When the Marines departed in 1933, their principal legacy was a constabulary officered

by light – skinned mulattos. The tension between the ruling mulatto elite and the black

majority runs like a discordant motif through Haiti’s turbulent history.”

In 1956, blacks surged into control with the election of Francois “Papa Doc”

Duvalier. Papa Doc installed a reign of terror directed primarily against the elite

professional class. His son, Jean Claude, “Baby Doc” became president -for – life upon

the death of the elder Duvalier. Baby Doc possessed none of his father’s political

dexterity. His marriage into one of Haiti’s richest families cost him popular support.

High levels of corruption combined with sporadic te