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Dominican Republic RPCV Senator Chris Dodd calls for swift action by the U.S. in Haiti
Dominican Republic RPCV Senator Chris Dodd calls for swift action by the U.S. in Haiti
In Washington D.C., Dodd called for swift action by the U.S.
"Given the direct role that the U.S. played in the removal of the (Jean-Bertrand) Aristide government, it is now President Bush's responsibility and moral obligation to take charge of this situation -- that means more than sending a couple of hundred marines for ninety days or so," Dodd said in a statement Wednesday. "Rather, it means a sustained commitment of personnel and resources for the foreseeable future by the United States and other members of the international community who called for the removal of the elected government."
Dodd, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has a long history with Haiti. In the 1960s Dodd served with the Peace Corps on Haiti's border in the Dominican Republic. He has traveled frequently to the country as a senator, his most recent trip was in July 2001.
While the U.N. Security Council has authorized the use of peacekeepers to the country, Dodd wants to see more.
"I would go a step further and urge Haitian authorities to consider sharing authority with an interim international administration, authorized by the U.N., in order to create the conditions necessary to give any future government of Haiti a fighting chance at succeeding," Dodd said.
fjmccabe@norwich.gannett.com