Sacramento, Calif. – “It is time to get the United States military out of Haiti and back home,” said Danny Gonzalez, Director of Communications for Move America Forward, the nation’s largest grassroots, pro-troop organization. “If President Barack Obama is eager to get U.S. troops disengaged from foreign assignments, this is a much better place to start than in the war against terrorism.”
“Our military was uniquely able to deploy to Haiti with the men and material to help that beleaguered country recover from the trauma of a cataclysmic earthquake. But that mission is done, and our remarkable military men and women excelled once again. While we are always generous to help our neighbors in need, the United States military is a fighting force and not a social welfare agency. Our troops have accomplished what they needed to do and it’s time for them to come home and rest up for their much larger mission of waging the global war on terror.”
The Commanding General of U.S. forces in Haiti, Army Lieutenant General Ken Keen, said there are still 13,000 military personnel in Haiti or off shore. There had been over 20,000 at the peak, but many have returned to the United States as other humanitarian efforts have taken over.
There have already been six reported cases of falciparum malaria infecting troops from the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Haiti. This virulent form of malaria can be fatal. “With casualty rates going up in Afghanistan, we should not be adding to the military burden by exposing them to tropical diseases in Haiti,” Gonzalez added.
“Our troops have done a great job in Haiti; they have prevented mass violence and crime from taking hold; and they’ve provided security for hundreds of aid organizations. But their mission is to keep America safe and fight the war on terror, not provide humanitarian aid on a long term basis. It is time for our troops to come home from Haiti.
“America is also trying to wage two wars, and our troops are coming home exhausted after deployments. These troops need time to rest up and be with their families as they may be asked to return to the battlefield. We appreciate President Obama wanting to be a good neighbor to Haiti and Chile, but we expect the Commander-in-Chief to put our troops well-being and our nation’s security first,” concluded Gonzalez.
