If you want to see the South American left act like cynical GOPers, that is, scoring cheap political shots over any issue under the Obama administration, read how Hugo Chavez and his ilk are accusing the US of occupying Haiti.
Despite Chavez's populist rhetoric, he's basically a caudillo who's done as much damage to Venezuela as the US has to other countries south of the border.
One week ago it was Pat Robertson saying that the Haitians had made a "pact with the devil" when they revolted against slavery. How else could stupid black people have whipped the English, Spanish and French?
Interestingly, Robertson left out the fact that the peopple who had enslaved the Haitians were Christians. Oh, I forgot: the French are Catholics, so that doesn't count.
Now it's Chavez and his choir taking cheap shots at the United States for being able to use its power, via the military, to help that country.
Historically, Haiti has been merely a political football for the cynics of the left and right. It's greatest sin is that it was the only place in the Western world that had a successful slave revolt, and was isolated from the US for years because of that, as well as having been occuppied by the US in the last century for nearly 20 years.
But trying to claim this humanitarian effort as some of international form of government takeover?
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However, if the US did nothing, people like Chavez and others would be complaining about that!
Hopefully, we get this right this time.
"Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic faced a great deal of political instability in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The United States occupied both countries and temporarily took over their customs duties.
The Dominican Republic and the United States, in 1906, entered into a 50-year treaty under which the former gave control of its administration and customs to the United States. In exchange, the US agreed to help reduce the immense foreign debt that the nation had accrued. Between 1916 and 1924, thousands of US troops occupied and administered the country. During this period, roads, schools, communications and sanitation facilities were built, and other projects undertaken. Several years of fiscal stability followed."
Obviously with a positive outcome, however when a power steps in (much like Colin Powell's "Pottery Barn" example) -- you own it.
We should have continued to help. Like you say, hopefully we'll get it right this time -- if Limbaugh and his racist ilk have nothing to say about it.
The US has little reason to "annex" or "occupy" Haiti, other than making sure it doesn't become a narco-state.