1994, September 15–18: (Clinton Addresses America — We Must Act, Cédras Responds He Would Rather Die Than Leave in Dishonor, Nine Warships Already Off Haiti …

1994, September 15–18: (Clinton Addresses America — We Must Act, Cédras Responds He Would Rather Die Than Leave in Dishonor, Nine Warships Already Off Haiti with 1,800 Marines, the Carrier Eisenhower Steams South with the 10th Mountain Division, Television Crews Mass at the Montana Hotel, Jimmy Carter Descends on Port-au-Prince with Sam Nunn and Colin Powell, the Clock Ticks Toward a Monday Landing, Carter Tells Cédras He Is Ashamed of American Policy, Clinton Gives Final Approval to Secretary Perry at 12:01 A.M. Monday, Carter Faxes a Fait Accompli at 6:30 P.M. with Thirty Minutes Left, Jonassaint Signs — at Eighty-One Old Enough to Remember the Last Occupation — and the Invasion Becomes a Permissive Entry): On September 15, 1994, President Clinton addressed America — noting the murder of Vincent, the rapes, the misery, he said that the United States must act. Commenting in Port-au-Prince on the Clinton speech, General Cédras responded that he would rather die, and that if he died in the next few hours or the next few days it would be better than leaving his country in dishonor and leaving his children with a dishonorable name. Consulting calendars, many noted that the following week would meet tidal and lunar requirements for what some were already calling the intervasion. As President Clinton addressed his fellow citizens, nine navy warships were already off Haiti with an 1,800-man Marine amphibious task force on board; nine more ships were en route as well as fourteen cargo vessels. Hospital ships prepared to take station in the Gulf of Gonâve while the carrier Eisenhower steamed south with combat elements of the army’s 10th Mountain Division. No one expected much resistance from the Haitian army — one observer predicted that there would be more Haitians hurt by the butts of rifles the soldiers threw down than by Americans firing on them. Outriders of disaster, television crews began massing in Port-au-Prince for the show, in the meantime enjoying Haiti’s good rum and the view from the Montana hotel. Into this charged situation strode the ex-president of the United States, Jimmy Carter — aping earlier actions in Somalia and North Korea where he had, with the most reluctant support from the Clinton administration, appointed himself extraordinary envoy, he descended on Port-au-Prince at the head of a troika that also included Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia and retired Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Colin Powell. With the clock ticking toward a landing in the wee hours of Monday, the trio met at length with the junta, breaking off at two in the morning. After a few hours of rest, the group met with Aristide supporters, President Jonassaint, and then General and Mme Cédras. At noon Carter broke off to get additional time from President Clinton, who agreed to three more hours. President Clinton gave final approval to Secretary of Defense Perry to commence operations at 12:01 A.M. Monday. Throughout Sunday afternoon, as additional ships and aircraft took up station in Haiti’s skies and off her shores, Carter kept talking — at one point, perhaps carried away by the moment, he told Cédras that he was ashamed of American policy. Finally, at 6:30 P.M., Clinton told Carter he had thirty minutes left. The junta agreed to the terms presented by Carter, who then faxed what was in effect a fait accompli to the White House. After some debate as to whether Jonassaint could sign an agreement since the U.S. did not recognize his government, President Clinton accepted. The invasion, to be replaced the next day with a permissive entry by U.S. troops, was called off. Haitians got the news from President Jonassaint, at eighty-one old enough to remember the last occupation — just before midnight he went on television to appeal for calm, saying they could not let the annihilation of Haiti happen without any reason, hence they had signed an accord. The Carter deal allowed Cédras to stay in command until October 15, 1994, when President Aristide would return — during that time parliament was supposed to vote a general amnesty. Nothing in the agreement addressed the fate of any members of the junta, who in theory could have stayed in Haiti, been pardoned, and run for office. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, kept briefed by Ambassador Gray to the degree Gray himself had been informed by freelancer Carter in Port-au-Prince, greeted the new agreement with all the enthusiasm of a boy who got socks for Christmas.