Bush weighs sending 2,000 Marines off Haiti

[Hoss68]

Two more towns reportedly fall to Aristide opponents

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

A child stands near tires burning in the streets of Port-au-Prince Thursday as supporters of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide prepare for a possible rebel advance.



Feb. 26: NBC's Kerry Sanders reports on the growing chaos in Port-au-Prince and the fears of a new ocean exodus.
MSNBC

NBC News and news services
Updated: 10:16 a.m. ET Feb. 27, 2004

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Friday is set to review possible military options to respond to the escalation of violence in Haiti, including one option that would send Navy ships and 2,000 Marines to the Caribbean should an emergency evacuation be required, U.S. officials tell NBC News.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, emphasized that no decision to send those troops has been made, NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reported from the Pentagon.

Another factor that could warrant sending in Marines is if U.S. Coast Guard crews feel they need back up to stem any massive wave of Haitian refugees fleeing the country by boat.

In Haiti itself, the conflict between President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and political as well as armed opposition continued Friday. In the capital Port-au-Prince, most commercial flights were canceled and thousands of pro-Aristide looters descended on port facilities.

Rebels drove police out and freed about 67 prisoners in Mireblais, about 25 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince, witnesses said. It was unclear whether the rebels were still in the town or were pushing toward the capital.

Haiti’s third-largest city, Les Cayes, fell Thursday and is now in the control of the Base Resistance, an anti-government group allied with Haiti’s opposition Democratic Platform but not tied to the rebels.

In Paris, meanwhile, a Haitian government team met with French officials and France later made a new appeal for Aristide to quit as a first step toward restoring order in Haiti. France earlier this week urged the "immediate" formation of an international civilian force to support a new government.

Aristide has said he will see out his term in office to 2006 but was willing to share power.

[cb88]

I need to "contemplate" this before I state my opinion....I have such mixed feelings.

Let me digest this...but I wanted to let you know I read it, Hoss.

[Turbochrgdwitch]

I do not need to contemplate anything. Do not send our troops there!

[RetPara]

Nope... just pull our folks out and quarantine the bloody place.

[Turbochrgdwitch]

Totally agree with you. This place has been hell and we do not need to be there anymore. I am tired of the refugees coming here to South Fl. Close off the seas and turn them back to fight their own cause. They are chickens like the cubans.

[Woodmonkey]

Why would we go there again?

How does it fit in with our interests and the very serious war against terrorism? Would going there take troops away from that important war?

I think we have more important things to deal with than this nation which cannot/will not govern itself.

[Hoss68]

I see this as another possible Somolia...