Haiti: An American Crutch

It’s naïve to think that the United States government is a generous institution that genuinely looks after the general welfare of its republic and others in need. After a long history of mismanaged occupation and indebtedness, the US feels the obligation to aid Haiti victims in the wake of the earthquake disaster. For those who believe the United States is operating benevolently and unselfishly, they should think again.

Given the mismanaged history of US-Haiti relations, it is safe to say that if the United States had no stake in Western hemisphere politics it wouldn’t be contributing so much to the relief effort. But it does. In the government's conception of the US’s best interest, glorifying American wealth and manpower is nothing short of how a state operates when its global hegemony feels threatened. The constant reminder of the 82^nd Airborne’s presence in Haiti is all too similar to Russia’s May Day parades during the Cold War, US troops parading through Paris in 1944, and Caesar’s military showcase after his conquest of Gaul. And after American conquest in the Middle East, what better way to boast military power in the Western hemisphere than to remind a poor country how powerful and wealthy America can be when it taxes its citizens promptly and without adherence to law?

Ron Paul Votes "No" on Government Aid to Haiti

Ron Paul was the only Congressman yesterday to vote against a resolution to authorize government reconstruction plans for Haiti. His explanation for his vote is here, in which he argues that a US reconstruction plan is just a gateway to establishing Haiti as a long term US protectorate. This concern has been echoed by the non-profit Doctors Without Borders. 

But even if we grant the US government the best of intentions, even if we dismiss these concerns as conspiracy, however dubious our reasons for doing so, we should still oppose US aid to Haiti. Extreme cases like this have a certain educational value, in that they separate the libertarian wheat from the chaff. They separate those whose libertarianism is rooted in a philosophical adherence to the non-aggression axiom and those whose libertarianism is only an emotional predisposition toward less government.

Libertarians and conservatives are right to argue that government welfare programs are immoral because they rob a certain subset of taxpayers for the benefit of a subset of tax consumers, and because the taxpayers never consented to the redistribution. Welfare programs are therefore legalized theft. No doubt many of the 411 congressmen to vote in favor of the Haiti resolution (I'm looking at you, Michelle Bachmann) have argued thusly. So how is the same extorted welfare for Haitians morally justifiable?

The Other Disaster in Haiti

All this week I've seen my YAL Facebook friends asking for donations to the humanitarian aid efforts in Haiti. I have nothing but praise for this. People doing good through their free will is the only moral way to give to charity. But I can't help but wonder why the crisis was so bad. Below, Wall Street Journal columnist Mary O'Grady explains why.

As O'Grady explains, the reason why Haiti is so poor is that we in richer countries have propped up bad regimes in Haiti. Besides that, we've stifled free trade through tariffs on their sugar, among other things. Imagine how many people would be alive today if Haiti was rich enough to have sturdier buildings, a more efficient police force, an honest government, and better medical services?

Haiti: the next Somalia?

Today the French government accused the United States of occupying Haiti with military forces. While I certainly wouldn't trust the French government any more than I would the United States government, I find it hard to believe Bob Gates' defense of the US presence within Haiti. 

See, this isn't the first time that the United States was sent into a third world country to "provide security" for international operations. It happened in Somalia 20 years ago. Then the UN was sending humanitarian aid in light of the Somali Civil War. The US sent in Army Rangers to provide protection for the UN's aid packages. Somehow that mission transformed into Delta Force being sent in to take out the leader of the country and UN forces attempting to occupy the nation. Many men and women died on both sides.

Haiti is in a strikingly similar state as Somalia was. The government is largely insolvent; gangs of men march the streets; food is short. Is it too hard to imagine that our government would make the same mistake again? I sincerely hope that somehow in the midst of this incredible incompetence the people of Haiti do get some help, but I'm not holding my breath for the government to get something right.