Well, not really. Aristide may not be everyone’s favorite elected leader but it will be interesting to learn the full story of why the bush administration drove him out of office.
Maxspeak quotes Jeffrey Sachs from the Financial Times (go read the rest):
The crisis in Haiti is another case of brazen US manipulation of a small, impoverished country with the truth unexplored by journalists. In the nearly universal media line on the Haitian revolt, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was portrayed as an undemocratic leader who betrayed Haiti’s democratic hopes and thereby lost the support of his erstwhile backers. He “stole” elections and intransigently refused to address opposition concerns. As a result he had to leave office, which he did at the insistence of the US and France. Unfortunately, this is a gravely distorted view.
And Joe at American Leftist reports that Aristides’ resignation was actually a ‘kidnap’ carried out by Americans.
If these allegations hold up it should make us all wonder just what bush means when he talks about democracy.
Update (a few minutes later): More here and here.