Iraq, 'Sinking Fast,' Is Ranked No. 2 on List of Unstable States

[Merv Benson]

Haiti seems to share a low aptitude for self government with many African countries. Until Mugabe recently topped them, I had thought that Haiti may have the record for incompetence in governance.

[Tom Odom]

Haiti seems to share a low aptitude for self government with many African countries. Until Mugabe recently topped them, I had thought that Haiti may have the record for incompetence in governance.

Merv,

Certainly Haiti ranks up there. But Africa is simply amazing when it comes to the comic-tragedy of Mugabe and Mugabe-like figures. Stan has a continuous decade of Zaire/Congo under his belt and fueled with a couple of beers can offer hours of stories. It gets to the point where you have to guard against making erroneous assumptions of incompetency. That was the case with certain of my SF guys when they came from Haiti and joined me in Rwanda where the RPA stood out by virtue of its efficiency.

But where Haiti still reigns supreme is duration of independent incompetence; two centuries is quite a record.

Best

Tom

[Stan]

Merv,

Certainly Haiti ranks up there. But Africa is simply amazing when it comes to the comic-tragedy of Mugabe and Mugabe-like figures. Stan has a continuous decade of Zaire/Congo under his belt and fueled with a couple of beers can offer hours of stories. It gets to the point where you have to guard against making erroneous assumptions of incompetency. That was the case with certain of my SF guys when they came from Haiti and joined me in Rwanda where the RPA stood out by virtue of its efficiency.

But where Haiti still reigns supreme is duration of independent incompetence; two centuries is quite a record.

Best

Tom

Nichols said it best (and Tom has studied and lived with it longer than most care to even think about): "You can take the man out of WAWA, but you can't take WAWA out of the man."

The moment we forget this absurd and abysmal saying, we will be subjected to jungle rules...and just plain ol' screwed !

We began to imagine all sorts of pathetic and hopeful means of saving or restructuring a culture that has done just fine for decades, destroyed anything the French or Belg left behind, and will steal you blind while doing said.

I think the Haitians came over for short courses, but never graduated

[Tacitus]

But where Haiti still reigns supreme is duration of independent incompetence; two centuries is quite a record.
Tom

Gentlemen,
So what is unique to Haiti, which would explain this kind of record of futility? All I can think of is voodoo.

I know nothing about voodoo, other than some vauge notions of zombies, voodoo dolls, and using it to control people. I've seen "Live and Let Die", that James Bond flick.

Serious question for you old Hatian hands out there. We often debate on here whether there is something inherent in Islam causing the problems in Muslim countries. Well, is there something to voodoo that contributes to the misery in Haiti?

They share the island of Hispanola with The Dominican Republic, which looks like Switzerland in comparison. I don't think they practice voodoo there, either.