Haiti? What's in It for Us?

Charlie Rangel's expression said it all. The New York congressman was on Jim Lehrer's show on PBS last night pleading for the U.S. government to step into bloody Haiti, but the Bushites won't have it. Witness Colin Powell's backpedaling earlier in the day.

Florida GOP congressman Mark Foley, jousting with Rangel, represented the Bush administration's position perfectly. "We can't intervene and jump in the middle of this right now until we get backing from the UN," Foley said. "I think that would be the next appropriate step."

Uh-huh, we need backing from the UN before we intervene in another country.

Rangel pointed out that a small expenditure of money and force would probably bring at least a temporary peace very quickly.

To which Foley concluded, "I just wish they were more consistent. They didn't want us in Iraq, but they want us in Liberia and they want us in Haiti. I agree we could play a role, but we can't go it alone." When Foley said "they," did he mean Democrats or just black Democrats?

Anyway, after being cut off by the moderator, Rangel, looking extremely depressed, remarked, "I can't believe you're bringing up Iraq."

The problem, Charlie, is that there's no oil in Haiti. Like in Liberia and Rwanda, it's just a bunch of black people killing each other. Give us something for Halliburton and the Carlyle Group to sink their teeth into. Give 'em a taste. For God's sakes, we're running a business here!