[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 43 (Thursday, March 18, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HAITI: BRING OUR TROOPS HOME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, over the weekend it was reported that the 
commander of U.S. troops in Latin America has recommended that troops 
stationed in Haiti be brought home. For most Americans, it will 
probably come as a surprise to learn that we still actually have troops 
in Haiti. Indeed, there has been little public discussion of Haiti in 
the years since U.S. troops helped end a coup and return President 
Aristide to office down there. In the years since this dramatic 
operation, the situation in Haiti has gotten worse and what was once 
touted as the crown jewel of the Clinton administration's foreign 
policy is now an utter failure. Haiti has been without an effective 
government for almost 2 years, the judiciary is weak and the 
legislative branch has been effectively shut down and boarded up. The 
Haitian executive branch has taken a number of actions outside the 
constitution and caused concern to those working to consolidate 
democracy for our island neighbor. The political situation has grown 
even more tense in recent weeks following the gruesome political murder 
of Haitian Senator Toussaint, the attack on Senator Chery and the 
attack on a leading rights advocate. These ongoing attacks are the 
culmination of a long-standing campaign of intimidation and violence 
against Haitian and American individuals who are working hard in 
support of the rule of law, free and fair elections and economic 
improvement in that impoverished country.
  In the midst of these troubling developments, there have been two 
U.S. actions of note: First, the refusal of the Clinton administration 
to certify Haiti as meeting its obligations in the war on drugs, in 
other words, they cannot do their job on that. And, second, the 
recommendation by General Wilhelm that we terminate the U.S. troop 
presence in Haiti. General Wilhelm had this to say and I quote: ``As 
our continuous military presence in Haiti moves into its fifth year, we 
see little progress toward creation of a permanently stable internal 
security environment. In fact, with the recent expiration of parliament 
and imposition of rule by presidential decree, we have seen some 
backsliding. Though our military mission in Haiti was accomplished in 
1994, we have sustained a presence that on any given day during 1998 
averaged about 496 military personnel.''
  General Wilhelm goes on to say that he would ``categorize our 
presence as being a benevolent one. Through a variety of humanitarian 
assistance and other local outreach programs, our troops have 
undertaken infrastructure development projects and provided urgently 
needed medical and dental care for the impoverished Haitian population. 
These contributions have been made at a cost to the Department of 
Defense. By our calculations, our military presence in Haiti carried a 
price tag of $20,085,000 for 1998.''
  The General concludes: ``However, at this point I am more concerned 
about force protection than cash outlays. The unrest generated by 
political instability requires us to constantly reassess the safety and 
security environment in which our troops are living and working. I have 
recommended that we terminate our permanent military presence in 
Haiti.''
  General Wilhelm's recommendation was bolstered by General Hugh 
Shelton, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Shelton has 
testified before Congress that he was ``looking very hard at the Haiti 
operation and drawing that 350 down to a much lesser number'' given the 
troop commitments around the world and the proposal to deploy U.S. 
troops to Kosovo.
  While Generals Wilhelm and Shelton limited their comments to their 
area of responsibility, overseeing the deployment and readiness of the 
U.S. military, it is clear that this issue has far broader 
implications. Respected columnist David Broder reached the following 
conclusion: ``The lesson is not that we should never be peacekeepers; 
rather, that there has to be a peace to keep. Sending in the military 
to impose a peace on people who have not settled ancient quarrels has 
to be the last resort, not the standard way of doing business.''
  Mr. Speaker, many respected individuals are calling on the Clinton 
administration to get our troops out of Haiti and begin rethinking its 
efforts to use our soldiers to impose peace on those who do not want 
it. This is not a good policy. It does not work. I believe the 
administration would do itself and America credit to heed the advice of 
these people who I think have made better suggestions that far outpace 
the Clinton foreign policy.

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