How Did the Withdrawal From Afghanistan Affect Biden's Decision to Intervene Militarily in Haiti?

The island of Haiti in the Caribbean suffers from severe natural disasters, successive political crises, and the spread of crime on its lands.

However, America is reluctant to provide the Latin country with military aid to stop the unrest in the country, at a time when its forces withdrew from Afghanistan.

The Italian website “Inside Over” described the situation in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, as extremely dangerous, due to devastating earthquakes and violent tropical cyclones, with the fallout from the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, and the prolonged political crisis.

The website said, “The Caribbean country has not yet recovered from the devastating earthquake that struck it in 2010, which killed 250,000 people and damaged the country's infrastructure.”

It added that “most of the aid provided by the international community, such as the US financial support ($13 billion), went for nothing.”

It pointed out that “between 2010 and 2019, the island of Haiti, or the high ground, suffered from an outbreak of cholera, which killed 10,000 people.”

It stressed that “the crises of the Latin countries and the former Spanish, French and American colonies were exacerbated by the killing of the president on July 7, 2021, and their exposure to a new devastating earthquake on August 15, 2021.”

The Italian website warned that “the danger lies in the fact that Haiti, which suffers from the scourge of drug trafficking and crime, will become a failed state with a threat to the stability of the American continent.”

 

American Rejection 

In July 2021, the interim President of Haiti, Claude Joseph, asked the US administration to send military units to the country to control the riots and violence in the streets following the killing of the former president.

The Biden administration rejected the invitation, citing its unwillingness to intervene militarily in the internal affairs of foreign countries.

The Italian website indicated that “Washington actually intervened in Haiti by invading it more than a century ago under the pretext of guaranteeing the repayment of loans granted to the government (Port-au-Prince), the capital of Haiti.”

It was then unable to pay the reparations demanded by France, dating back to 1825.

“The American invasion, which lasted from 1915 to 1934, turned into colonialism, it was one of the most prominent factors of chaos and poverty that the country suffers from,” according to the website.

It stated, “In 1991, American forces returned to Haiti following a coup that overthrew elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Washington withdrew with Aristide returning to power.”

“Inside Over” in its report does not suggest that Biden will accept the intervention in Haiti and send military units, after announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan after an invasion that lasted twenty years.

 

China and Russia

The website pointed out that “China and Russia are ready to take advantage of the chaos and intervene in the backyard of the Americans.”

“Beijing is trying to use the weapon of coronavirus vaccines to persuade Haiti to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan,” it explained.

Relations between China and the government of the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, have been tense in recent months.

In this regard, the website stated that “China sent large quantities of doses to countries that cut ties with Taiwan, like the Dominican Republic, but it didn't do that with Haiti.”

According to analysts, “Haiti's non-recognition of Taiwan could be followed by agreements to grant loans and make investments from Chinese companies.”

“Russia, in turn, has taken a similar approach to China, with regard to vaccination diplomacy and the exploitation of the epidemic to confirm its global strength,” according to the Italian website.

“In the case of Haiti, Moscow intends to move forward, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated months ago, in helping Haiti to restore political stability, protect the country, and train law enforcement agencies,” he explained.

 

Venezuela is Trying

For their part, the countries neighboring Haiti are moving, the Venezuelan government opened a humanitarian bridge with the island after the earthquake that struck the country in August 2021.

A plane took off from Simon Bolivar Airport carrying 30 tons of drinking water, food and medicine, to help relief efforts.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Carmen Melendez expressed her country's readiness to send additional aid and specialized medical teams.

Venezuela's position comes despite the fact that the late President Jovenel Moise stood against it on several occasions. He cut trade relations with it to gain the appreciation of former US President Donald Trump.

As a result, the Italian website does not rule out Venezuela's infiltration into the power vacuum, and persuading one of the candidates in the presidential elections to take sides.