Who is in charge in Haiti

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Asking who is in charge of a country is the sort of thing the State Department and the C.I.A. hire folks for. Countries are rarely run solely by their government. There are many other interested parties and Haiti is not an exception to that rule.

The complication for Haiti is that hundreds of outside agencies are on the ground providing earthquake relief and reconstruction assistance. Some are charities and non-governmental organizations (NGO). Some are international and transnational agencies. And, there are military units from a number of nations that are also in the mix. Who is in charge in Haiti?

An officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, Texas, fights off one of her instructors during Sexual Assualt Unarmed Self Defense Awareness and Prevention class, held at Forward Operating Base Warrior.  Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

“You must show confidence in yourself at all times,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Meineke, the SARC. “Walk with your head high and you will not be looked at as a victim.”

The junior-enlisted Soldiers that participated in the program were also given a very lethal weapon that would scare off any attacker, according the Lucas.

Shown are the remains of a cathedral in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, left unrecognizable by the violent earthquake that devastated the city on 12 January. 15/Jan/2010. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. UN Photo/Marco Dormino

The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 did a great deal of damage. We intend to examine where the damage is and what it consists of.

Soldiers from Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment emplace an Unattended Ground Sensor during a nighttime operation Feb. 25. The sensors allow the Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement to track potential smugglers and their routes, making sure their illegal cargo does not enter Iraq. Photo by Cody Harding

Here are two articles from the military illustrating our efforts to help the Iraqis secure their long border with Iran.

A grizzly scene marks the road to mass graves where hundreds of bodies have been deposited in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which claimed countless lives. 15/Jan/2010. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. UN Photo/Logan Abassi

Haiti has always been a nation of extremes. The grinding poverty of nearly all its people contrasted with the wealth displayed by the elite. The voodoo rituals performed in huts compared to High Mass at the cathedral in Port-au-Prince. The bare, unforested hills displayed behind the green trees around the enclaves of the rich.

U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jay M. Chu

In a series of articles this week, we will look at Haiti, the relief effort at this time, and what the future might bring to that poor nation. With the emphasis shifting from earthquake disaster relief to reconstruction, it is a good time to examine the changes that Haiti may see and the things that will remain the same.

There will be link-rich content, photos, and some finger pointing.

Singer Kaya Jones performs for the Soldiers assigned to Contingency Operating Station Endeavor, Iraq, Feb. 24. Jones, a former member of the Pussycat Dolls, signed autographs and posed for pictures after her performance. Photo by Spc. Ben Hutto

Former Pussycat Doll, Kaya Jones entertained the Soldiers assigned to Contingency Operating Station Endeavor, Iraq, Feb. 24.

Jones and her dance team danced and sang for an appreciative audience for over an hour, before signing autographs and posing for pictures with their audience.

“We love you,” said Jones. “We miss you back home. We thank you for what you are doing out here.”

1st Lt Bergan Flannigan of Tupper Lake wears the Purple Heart she was awarded after losing her leg while on patrol last month in Afghanistan. Shown with her at Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Afghanistan are her husband, 1st Lt. Thomas Flannigan, left, and Col. John F. Garrity. Army photo

Tupper Lake is a small upstate New York community in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. The drive to this community proceeds through paths where the sky is blocked out by the mountains on either side of the road. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful regions of the United States.
Industry is scarce in [...]

Left to right, roller derby teammates Army Sgt. Karli Wahkahquah, Army 1st Lt. Kristin Sloan and Army 1st Lt. Jessica duMonceaux, all members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, proudly show off their dainty, powder blue Thunderbirds -- symbolic of the parent 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team under which they serve. (U.S. Army photo/Sgt. 1st Class Darren D. Heusel)

Choosing the perfect roller derby nickname is important, the women said, because it becomes registered and is theirs forever. “Someone can call and ask to create a version of your name, but they have to get your permission,” Wahkahquah said.

Wahkahquah’s last name in Comanche means “riding death.” So, in keeping with the Native American theme, she chose “Rolling Death” as her alter ego.