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Today's
Stories
April
24 / 25, 2004
William
A. Cook
Tweedledee and Tweedledum: Kerry
and Bush Melt into One
April
23, 2004
Ron
Jacobs
The Only Solution is Immediate Withdrawal
Dave
Lindorff
Imagination Deficit Disorder
Mokhiber
/ Weissman
Contractors and Mercenaries: the Rising Corporate Military Monster
Norman
Solomon
Country Joe Band, 2004: "What Are We Fighting For?"
Cynthia
McKinney
All Things Are Not Equal: the Perils of Globalization
CounterPunch
Wire
A Bitch Called Wanda
Karyn
Strickler
Sierra Club, Inc.
Hammond
Guthrie
Yellow Caked in the Face
Paul
de Rooij
Graveyard of Justifications: Glossary
of the Iraqi Occupation
April 22, 2004
Patrick
Cockburn
When Terror Came to Basra: "I
Saw a Minibus of Children on Fire"
Tanya
Reinhart
The Wall Behind Disengagement
Lance
Selfa
Why is Kucinich Still in the Race?
Josh
Frank
Street Fighting Man? Kucinich's Pulled Punches
Sen.
Robert Byrd
Bush Owes America Answers on Iraq
William
S. Lind
Why We Get It Wrong
Mickey
Z.
Undoing the Latches
Robert
Jensen
Why They Fast: Remembering the Victims of the World Bank
John
L. Hess
The New York Times from 30,000 Feet
April
21, 2004
Gary
Leupp
Yeats on Iraq
Alfredo
Castro
Colombia's Forgotten Prisoners
Dr.
Susan Block
Bush's Taliban Drug Deal
William
A. Cook
George 1 to George 2
Jack
Random
Iraq and Vietnam
Jean-Guy
Allard
Alarcon Meets the Editors
Mike
Whitney
Charade in the Desert
Bill
Christison
Only Major Policies Changes Can
Help Washington Now
April 20, 2004
Dave
Lindorff
Bush and Kerry Share a Problem
Stan
Cox
Wal-Mart's Magic Numbers
Bruce
Anderson
On Listening to Air America
Joseph
Kalvoda
Czech Mate for Condi
Greg
Moses
Yesterday's Intelligence
Stan
Goff
The Democrats and Iraq
Website
of the Day
Santorum Happens
April 19, 2004
Kurt
Nimmo
The "Central Hand" of the
Resistance
Mike
Whitney
Bob Woodward's Imperial Trifles
Douglas
Valentine
52 Pick-Up and the 100-to-1
Rule
John
Chuckman
The Sharon Annex: Evil Does Often
Triumph
Doug
Giebel
Welcome to the Club
Rahul
Mahajan
Hospital Closings and War Crimes
April
16 / 18, 2004
Robert
Fisk
Bush Legitimizes Terror
Saul
Landau
Subverting Brazil and Cuba
Dave
Lindorff
Paying for War: $2,150 per Family
and Counting
Brandy
Baker
Fallujah's Collateral Damage
Mickey
Z.
The Left Attacks from the Right
Bruce
Jackson
The Bush Press Conference: Gott Mit
Uns
Norman
Solomon
How the "NewsHour" Changed
History
Alexander
Cockburn
Bush, Kerry and Empire
April
15, 2004
Greg
Moses
Follow the Families, Not the Script
Virginia
Tilley
The Carnage According to Gen. Kimmitt:
Just Change the Channel
Ron
Jacobs
They Coulda Been Champions of the
World: Hurricane Carter and Ron Kovic
Michael
Neumann
A Happy Compromise: Hate Crimes
Reporting in the Toronto Globe and Mail
April
14, 2004
Tom
Reeves
Return to Haiti: an American Learning
Zone
Reza
Fiyouzat
Japan and Iraq
Ron
Jacobs
What Bush Really Said
Diane
Christian
The Real Passion
April 10 /
12, 2004
Alexander Cockburn
The
Greatest Radical Journalist of His Age
Patrick Cockburn
Ambush, Kidnap, Murder: Another Day in "Post War" Iraq
Ellen Cantarow
Health Under Siege on the West Bank
Tariq Ali
Iraqi
Resistance: a New Phase
Werther
Pseudoconservatism Revisited: When God is Pro War & Other
Delicacies
Robert Fisk
Bush's War Lords to Their Critics: "Just Shut Up"
Gary Leupp
Indian Wars, Vietnam and Orientalist Fantasy
Ron Jacobs
The Iranian Revolution, Cont.
Jorge Mariscal
Perils of the Bootstrap
Phil Gasper
Defying Stereotypes About Death Row
Dave Zirin
Bringing the Black Freedom Struggle Into Sports: an Interview
with Lee Evans
Brandy Baker
The Revolution is Playing at a Theater Near You
Mickey Z.
Underground Music is Free Media: an Interview with Twiin
Ali Tonak
Get Ready for the Million Worker March
Harry Browne
Asking the Wrong Question About Richard Clarke & 9/11
Gideon Samet
The Sharonizing of America
Conn Hallinan
Remote Control Warriors
Website of
the Weekend
Taboo
Tunes
April 9, 2004
Robert Fisk
This
War's Simple Truth: Iraqis Do Not Want Us
John L. Hess
The
Non-Confessions of a Warrior Princess: Condi on the Stand
Niranjan Ramakrishnan
Condoleezza's Condescensions
Christopher Brauchli
Holes in the Sky: Bush's Crazed Missile Defense Plan
Don Santina
Forget the Alamo!: Glorifying the Fight for Slavery in Texas
William S. Lind
The 4G Warfare Seminar, Cont.
Bill Christison
9/11
Commission is Bush's New Lapdog
Website of the Day
What We've Done to Fallujah
April 8,
2004
Wayne Madsen
Rice
(and the Record) Proves It: Bush Knew, But Failed to Act
Kurt Nimmo
Will
Bush Flatten Fallajuh?
Patrick Cockburn
Guided
Missile; Misguided War
Laura Flanders
Steamed
Rice
Larry Everest
What Condi Rice is Hiding
Adam Federman
Sacred Capitalism Hits Russia
M. Junaid Alam
The Iraqi Intifada Begins
Norman Solomon
The Quest for a Monopoly on Violence
Douglas Valentine
Echoes
of Vietnam: Phoenix, Assassination and Blowback in Iraq
Website of the Day
Xispas: Chicano Art, Culture and Politics
April 7, 2004
Alexander Cockburn
Those
Pulitzers!
Sen. Robert
Byrd
Deeper
into the Mouth of Hell: We Must Find the Exit from Iraq
Ron Jacobs
Tet
in Iraq: Closer to the Cosmic Disaster?
Patrick Cockburn
Battles
Across Iraq: US Death Toll Mounts
Kathy Kelly
Pacification: Worth the Price?
Sonali Kolhatkar
What Are You Doing About Afghanistan?
Rahul Mahajan
Report from Baghdad: Opening the Gates of Hell
Robert Fisk
US Airlifts Saddam to Qatar
Mike Whitney
America Out of Iraq, Now!
Sam Hamod
Bush, Pandora's Box and the Tiger
April 6,
2004
C.G. Estabrook
Mercenaries
and Occupiers
William Blum
The
Anti-Empire Report: the Israel Lobby
Col. Dan Smith
The
Language of Disbelief: 1.3 Billion Still Live in War Zones
Dr. Bulent Gokay
The Coming Islamic Republic of Iraq?
Lynn Landes
Faking Democracy: Americans Don't Vote; Machines Do
Sheila Samples
What Would Royko Write?
Jason Leopold
Condi's Blind Spot: Rice Never Mentioned al-Qaeda
Mickey Z.
A Reality Show with No End in Sight
Robert Fisk
Iraq on the Brink of Anarchy
April 5, 2004
John Farrell
Lessons
from El Salvador and Iraq
Robert Fisk
Bloodbath
a Bad Omen for Bush
Gary Leupp
Shiites Say No: Another "Nightmare
Scenario"
April 3 / 4, 2004
Alexander Cockburn
Anti-Depressants
a Problem? We're Shocked
Jeffrey St. Clair
How Neil Bush Succeeded in Business
Without Really Trying
Gary Leupp
On Jefferson, Diderot and the Political Uses of God
Lawrence Davidson
Orwell and Kafka in Israel / Palestine
Frederick B.
Hudson
Condi Rice: the Family Retainer
Phillip Cryan
The Magic of Coca-Cola: Colombian Workers, Civil Rights and Advertising
Dave Zirin
Lester Speaks: an Interview with Lester "Red" Rodney
Ben Tripp
Talking Dirty: Obscene But Not Heard
Bruce Anderson
Phony Liberals and Fake Concern for the Homeless
Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Justice and Legitimacy in Haiti
Mark Scaramella
Do You Have What It Takes to Be Sec. of Defense? Take the Rumsfeld
Quiz
Sharon Smith
Do Most Iraqis Really Want the US to Stay?
Rick Giombetti
Melissa Ann Rowland: a Witch for Our Time
Nader/Kerry
Quandary
Stephen Gowans
Communists
for Capitalism?
Frank Bardacke / Doug Lummis
Support Nader; Dump Bush: an Election Manifesto
Mickey Z
Turn ON
Saul Landau
Kerry: a Less Dangerous Imperialist?
Richard Oxman
Nader and/or Death?
Poets' Basement
Holt, LaMorticella, Davies, Albert and Tripp
Website of the Weekend
Missing
April 2, 2004
Dave Lindorff
Barbaric
Relativism: the Press and Fallujah
Kurt Nimmo
Wherever
Bush Goes, Osama is Bound to Follow
Emma Miller
The
Role of the West in the Rwandan Genocide
Dr. Susan Block
Same
Sex Marriages: Just Say "No" to Prohibition
Norman Solomon
Media Strategy Memo for George & Dick
Sacha Guney
The Meaning of the Elections in Turkey
Christopher
Brauchli
The
Disturbing Case of Cpt. Yee
Website of the Day
Mercenaries, Inc.
April 1, 2004
Ron Jacobs
Dying in Vain in Iraq
Harry Browne
No Smoke, Plenty of Fire: Ireland's Pubs Go Smokefree
Chris Floyd
Towel Boy: Bush Hits Workers with Chemical Weapons
Nicole Colson
Inside America's Concentration Camp: Tortured at Guantanamo
Charles Arthur
Haiti's Army Cracks Down on Workers
Laura Flanders
Elaine
Chao: a First Daughter for the First Son
March 31, 2004
M. Junaid Alam
Israel:
Suicide Nation?
John L. Hess
Condi
Under Oath: But What About the NYTs Reporters?
Fernando Suarez
del Solar
A
Year Since My Son's Death in Iraq
Sofia Perez
Spain's
U-Turn on Iraq is Real Democracy in Action
David Vest
Stick 'Em Up: Put Cheney and Bush Under Oath
Tanya Reinhart
As in Tiannamen Square: Justice and the Yassin Assassination
Mike Whitney
Time to Dump the Pledge
Donald Kaul
Martha Stewart's Lesson: Never Talk to the FBI
Milt Bearden
Mired in the Tracks of Alexander the Great
Marjorie Cohn
The
Illegal Coup in Haiti: How the Kidnapping of Aristide Violated
US and International Law
Website of the Day
New Pentagon Papers Dropped at DC Starbucks
Hot Stories
Alexander Cockburn
Behold,
the Head of a Neo-Con!
Subcomandante
Marcos
The
Death Train of the WTO
Norman Finkelstein
Hitchens
as Model Apostate
Steve Niva
Israel's
Assassination Policy: the Trigger for Suicide Bombings?
Dardagan,
Slobodo and Williams
CounterPunch Exclusive:
20,000 Wounded Iraqi Civilians
Steve
J.B.
Prison Bitch
Sheldon
Rampton and John Stauber
True Lies: the Use of Propaganda
in the Iraq War
Wendell
Berry
Small Destructions Add Up
CounterPunch
Wire
WMD: Who Said What When
Cindy
Corrie
A Mother's Day Talk: the Daughter
I Can't Hear From
Gore Vidal
The
Erosion of the American Dream
Francis Boyle
Impeach
Bush: A Draft Resolution
Click
Here for More Stories.
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Weekend
Edition
April 24 / 25, 2004
Haiti's Return
to the Future
The Repression
of Dissent
By LUCSON PIERRE-CHARLES
The stance of the political parties
throughout the crisis that led to the ouster of president Jean-Bertrand
Aristide was a constant reminder for the lack of democratic norms
and traditions that has characterized Haiti over the last two
centuries. Simply put, there has never been any genuine political
opposition in the country. During the thirty years of the Duvaliers
(Papa Doc and Baby Doc), the "opposition" was a loose
entity with a common foe but without unity and viable structure.
The fall of Baby Doc in 1986 provided an opportunity for the
opposition to really ascertain itself but the immediate takeover
by the army hindered all realistic hope. The objectives might
have been clearly identifiable but the lack of real leadership
and organization skills resulted in the mushrooming of a horde
of "one man-party" which, to this day, is responsible
for the chaos that is engulfing the empoverished nation. In order
to tackle this shortcoming, the international branches of both
the Republican and the Democratic parties in the United States
(the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic
Institute for International Affairs) began to provide training
assistance to some political parties through funding from the
National Endowment for Democracy (NED). These trainings, while
aiming at strengthening the role of the opposition in a democratic
setting, have not accomplished much, as the current situation
would perfectly demonstrate.
In 1990, a coalition of labor
unions and grassroots organizations propelled Jean-Bertrand Aristide
to power by a 67% of the votes. As a priest, Aristide had no
party and without this coalition, his candidacy would not have
been viable. Following his stunning victory, Aristide created
the Lavalas (meaning flood) party; but by being too avid for
power, he alienated most in the party who later deserted and
created their own faction.
The dissolution of the army
by Aristide, upon his return to power in 1994 by the Americans,
gave him the upper hand and eventually contributed to his ascension
as the most powerful man in the country--Aristide stepped down
in 1996 and later reclaimed the presidency with more than 90%
of the votes in the 2000 election. Hence, his removal from office
became the opposition's ultimate target and they were not willing
to accept any compromise that would keep Aristide in office.
Aristide's accession to power
and his successor, Rene Preval was a devastated blow for the
elite. It has weakened their absolute rule. The absence of the
army has compelled them to elaborate a set of strategies in order
to go back to the status quo, thereby join the opposition in
the quest for Aristide's removal. The emergence of such a common
front against a seating president is unprecedented in Haiti's
history. It is only in Haiti would one witness the left ally
with the right to topple the left and bring back the right to
power. The coalition of the opposition regroup! ed for the most
part the same political figures who opposed the Duvaliers, were
brutalized by the army and helped bring Aristide to power in
1990. During Aristide's second term, one leader of the opposition,
Evans Paul, even refused to testify against a former army General,
Prosper Avril--in a trial that reminisced the atrocities committed
before Aristide's accession to power and during his brief exile
in the United States (1991-1994)--despite the fact that he was
savagely beaten and his life miraculously saved under Avril's
military regime. He refused to testify by claiming that the goal
was to get the nation rid off a tyrant and that he would take
the opportunity to forgive Avril for the tortures he withstood.
Prosper Avril was among the prisoners (close to 3,000) that were
freed by Guy Phillipe following the events that led to the forced
depar! ture of Aristide on February 29, 2004.
The elite, reluctant in the
desire to share power with the fictitious opposition, created
their own movement--the Group 184. This coalition claimed to
represent all civic, social and grassroots organizations throughout
the country (184 in total) but in fact, it regrouped about a
dozen organizations not affiliated with the political parties
but in line with the ideas and goals of Andy Apaid Jr., the leader.
Initially and supposedly, the goal was to gather people's opinions
around the country with the "Convoy of hope" and create
a social contract but as the situation worsened, it became evident
that the group's ultimate goal was Aristide departur! e. The
opposition cheerfully joined Andy Apaid Jr. in his pursuit. In
effect, by siding with Apaid Jr. and later the rebels, the opposition
has committed a suicidal act that ultimately will derail the
entire political establishment. Apaid Jr. and the rebels knew
all along what the strategy was. It was not only to get rid off
Aristide but also to bring back the army in order to finally
rebuild the power structure that was somehow damaged during the
Aristide and Preval years. Furthermore, the American assistance
played a key role in maintaining the alliance. It is also worth
noting that the Pentagon objected to disbanding the army in 1995
because it was regarded as a loss of revenues for the United
States military-industrial complex. Hence, the reconstitution
of the army--the ultimate watchdog of the power structure--is
a victory for the Americans and the ruling oligarchy but also
mark the end of the political establishment, as we know it.
The coalition of the opposition
is disintegrating. They are already calling for elections this
year and the creation of a new electoral council. They are requesting
that the interim administration of Alexandre Boniface/Gerard
Latortue provides the length of its mandate. During the recent
visit of the US Secretary of State Colin Powell, the interim
Prime Minister, Gerard Latortue took the opportunity to reveal
that general elections will be held in 2005 and that the new
president will be sworn in no later than February 7, 2006. The
important twist came when Mr. Latortue warned that Pro-Lavalas
officials and members of the Aristide government--who are now
part of the new opposition--could only participate in these elections
if they renounce to violence. The current administration is undeniably
using intimidation as a means to silence Aristide loyalists and
repress all dissent. It has placed an interdiction of departure
on all former Aristide government officials, including the Prime
Minister Yvon Nepturne; the former minister of Interior has been
arrested and many pro-Lavalas loyalists are in hiding or have
been killed. The idea is to crush all popular dissent in order
to prevent the emergence of any type of charismatic figures like
Aristide.
As it is becoming clear, the
Boniface/Latortue interim administration, with perfect cooperation
with the United States Government and the European Union, is
paving the way for the ultimate capture of the presidency by
an oligarchy that has been waiting for such an opportunity since
the fall of Baby Doc in 1986. Whenever the new regime comes into
place, it will be typical of the same power structure that has
governed the endangered nation for its 200 years history. It
will be a return to the future. The opposition, by making alliance
with Andy Apaid Jr. and the rebels, has dug their own graves
and no one should feel sorry for them. A new opposition will
eventually arise but only the people will dictate its course.
Lucson Pierre-Charles, a native of Haiti, now lives in Maryland.
He can be reached at: lpierrecharles@yahoo.com
Weekend Edition
Features for April 3 / 4, 2004
Alexander Cockburn
Anti-Depressants
a Problem? We're Shocked
Jeffrey St. Clair
How Neil Bush Succeeded in Business
Without Really Trying
Gary Leupp
On Jefferson, Diderot and the Political Uses of God
Lawrence Davidson
Orwell and Kafka in Israel / Palestine
Frederick B.
Hudson
Condi Rice: the Family Retainer
Phillip Cryan
The Magic of Coca-Cola: Colombian Workers, Civil Rights and Advertising
Dave Zirin
Lester Speaks: an Interview with Lester "Red" Rodney
Ben Tripp
Talking Dirty: Obscene But Not Heard
Bruce Anderson
Phony Liberals and Fake Concern for the Homeless
Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Justice and Legitimacy in Haiti
Mark Scaramella
Do You Have What It Takes to Be Sec. of Defense? Take the Rumsfeld
Quiz
Sharon Smith
Do Most Iraqis Really Want the US to Stay?
Rick Giombetti
Melissa Ann Rowland: a Witch for Our Time
Nader/Kerry
Quandary
Stephen Gowans
Communists
for Capitalism?
Frank Bardacke / Doug Lummis
Support Nader; Dump Bush: an Election Manifesto
Mickey Z
Turn ON
Saul Landau
Kerry: a Less Dangerous Imperialist?
Richard Oxman
Nader and/or Death?
Poets' Basement
Holt, LaMorticella, Davies, Albert and Tripp
Website of the Weekend
Missing
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