8 minutes of nothing...then Haiti?

I just watched Susan Bonner's interview with U.S. Sec. State, Condoleeza Rice (Realplayer). Ugh. Rice sure has her new lines down pat. She chastised Canadians for using "apocalyptic language" about our softwood lumber grievances. What, like "mushroom cloud" apocalyptic? Just asking. Rice also disputed our assertion that 1/2 Canadian gun crimes are committed with smuggled Yankee pistols. She said something about Canada having a substantial gun "industry" of its own and then veered off into our mutual responsibility to interdict weapons of mass destruction. Very non sequitur and very annoying.

Overall it was a lotta nothing. But then something weird happened: in expressing her appreciation for Canada's contribution around the world, she included the current UN mission in Haiti. Now, we don't hear much about Haiti these days--and what we hear isn't good. For example, I find it pretty frightening that some UN guys were caught on tape killing people in Cité Soleil (July 2005). I might have missed it, but I don't think I ever heard an explanation for that in the mainstream news. The only thing I remember is the footage of that activist throwing red paint on Pierre Pettigrew. Were Canadian forces involved? Did "we" tolerate it? I have no idea but it sure doesn't make me feel very good.

And now there's that weird report about the the Texas oilman currently trying to run for president of Haiti (there's a magical election afoot; that always works, right?). Anyway, I gotta admit that I feel vastly uninformed about what's going on down there. Was Aristide ousted for failing to live up to IMF austerity settlements? Is it that formulaic? I don't know about you, but I'd like to know more about what Rice and PM Martin talked about on this "file." It sure seemed odd to see Rice so happy and satisfied about the Haitian state of the union. Yikes...must have been awkward meeting our awesome new Gov. Gen, eh?