    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [September 18, 1994]
    [Pages 1571-1572]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Address to the Nation on Haiti
    September 18, 1994

        My fellow Americans, I want to announce that the military leaders of
    Haiti have agreed to step down from power. The dictators have recognized
    that it is in their best interest and in the best interest of the
    Haitian people to relinquish power peacefully, rather than to face
    imminent action by the forces of the multinational coalition we are
    leading.
        Our objective over the last 3 years has been to make sure that the
    military dictators leave power and that the democratically elected
    government is returned. This agreement guarantees both those objectives.
    It minimizes the risks for American forces and the forces of the 24
    nations of the international coalition. And the agreement maximizes the
    orderly transfer of power to Haiti's democratically elected government.
        This is a good agreement for the United States and for Haiti. The
    military leaders will leave. The United States and coalition forces will
    arrive beginning tomorrow. And they'll do so in conditions that are less
    dangerous, although still not without risk. It will be much easier to
    preserve human rights. And there is a real chance of a more orderly and
    less violent transfer of power.
        And to the supporters of President Aristide, he will be returned. I
    ask that all Haitians remember what President Aristide said just a
    couple of days ago: no vengeance, no violence, no retribution. This is a
    time for peace. That is what the United States is going, along with our
    coalition partners, to work for.
        As all of you know, at my request, President Carter, General Colin
    Powell, and Senator Sam Nunn went to Haiti to facilitate the dictators'
    departure just yesterday. I have been in constant contact with them for
    the last 2 days. They have worked tirelessly, almost around the clock.
    And I want to thank them for undertaking this crucial mission on behalf
    of all Americans. Just as important, I want also to thank the men and
    women of the United States Armed Forces. It was their presence and their
    preparations that played a pivotal part in this agreement.
        Under the agreement, the dictators have agreed to leave power as
    soon as the Haitian Parliament passes an amnesty law, as called for by
    the Governors Island Agreement, but in any event, no later than October
    15th. They've agreed to immediate introduction of troops from the
    international coalition, beginning, as I said, as early as tomorrow.
    They have also pledged to cooperate fully with the coalition troops
    during the peaceful transition of power, something we have wanted very
    much.
        I have directed United States forces to begin deployment into Haiti
    as a part of the U.N. coalition. And General Shelton, our commander,
    will be there tomorrow. The presence of the 15,000 member multinational
    force will guarantee that the dictators carry out the terms of the
    agreement. It is clear from our discussions with the delegation that
    this agreement only came because of the credible and imminent threat of
    the multinational force. In fact, it was signed after Haiti received
    evidence that paratroopers from our 82d Airborne Division, based at Fort
    Bragg, North Carolina, had begun to load up to begin the invasion, which
    I had ordered to start this evening. Indeed, at the time the agreement
    was reached, 61 American planes were already in the air.
        Because of this agreement, the United States and other coalition
    troops going to Haiti will now be able to go under much more favorable

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    conditions than they would have faced had the generals not decided to
    leave power.
        But let me emphasize that this mission still has its risks, and we
    must be prepared for them. Haiti is still a troubled country, and there
    remain possibilities of violence directed at American troops. But this
    agreement minimizes those risks and maximizes our chance to protect the
    human rights of all Haitians, both those who support President Aristide
    and those who oppose him, and to create an environment in which
    President Aristide can return, as he said, without violence, without
    vengeance, without retribution.
        Under the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 940,
    an international coalition from 25 nations will soon go into Haiti to
    begin the task of restoring democratic government. President Aristide
    will return to Haiti when the dictators depart.
        On Thursday night I told you that the United States must act here to
    protect our interest, to stop the brutal atrocities that threaten tens
    of thousands of Haitians, to secure our borders and preserve stability
    and promote democracy in our hemisphere, to uphold the reliability of
    commitments we make to others and the commitments others make to us.
    This agreement furthers all these goals.
        From the beginning I have said that the Haitian dictators must go;
    tonight I can tell you that they will go. And to our troops tonight who
    are headed to Haiti under less risky conditions, I am confident you will
    carry out your mission as you already have, effectively and
    professionally. We depend upon you to do well tomorrow as you have done
    so very well today and in the weeks and days before, when you planned
    this exercise, prepared for it, and then began to carry it out. To all
    of you I say, thank you, your Nation is proud of you.
        Good night, and God bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:30 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Gen. Henry H. Shelton, USA,
    commander of U.S. forces in Haiti.