ABSTRACT
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's opponents in Haiti and abroad portrayed the Haitian Army as acting to save the nation from "mob rule," rather than being the principal obstacle to a democratic transition. Aristide understood the underlying objectives of US policies toward the military leaders. The United States, Aristide argued, pushed the Organization of American States and later the UN to adopt a series of embargoes against the putschists in Haiti. Aristide knew that the military rulers could not be trusted and that they would not implement the agreement. Aristide, once a hated symbol to the bourgeoisie, had become its symbol of salvation from a voracious and barbaric military. Aristide's endorsement of the concept of "reconciliation" was an important factor in the decision to return him to Haiti in October 1994. The international aid agencies pledged their full support for Aristide's government because they were confident that he would implement the government reforms and economic policies they devised.
