[StBernard] The Obama Apology Tour Continues: No U.S. Flag in Haiti

[Westley Annis]

The Obama Apology Tour Continues: No U.S. Flag in Haiti
Posted March 16th, 2010 at 3:30pm in American Leadership with 34 comments
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France's tricolor, Britain's Union Jack and even Croatia's coat of arms have
been lifted above those nation's installations in Haiti. But in the United
States camp, "whose contributions dwarf the rest of the world's," no flag is
allowed to fly. Why? The Obama administration has forbidden it. USA Today
reports:

The lack of the Stars and Stripes does not sit well with some veterans and
servicemembers who say the U.S. government should be proud to fly the flag
in Haiti, given the amount of money and manpower the U.S. is donating to
help the country recover from the Jan. 12 quake.

The Obama administration says flying the flag could give Haiti the wrong
idea.

"We are not here as an occupation force, but as an international partner
committed to supporting the government of Haiti on the road to recovery,"
the U.S. government's Haiti Joint Information Center said in response to a
query about the flag.

It used to be that Americans serving abroad were proud to serve oversees
under our nation's flag. Not the Obama administration.

And this is not the first time President Obama has sought to distance
himself from our nation's past. Let us not forget last year's world wide
apology tour, including:

10. Apology for Guantanamo in Washington: "There is also no question that
Guantanamo set back the moral authority that is America's strongest currency
in the world. . Rather than keeping us safer, the prison at Guantanamo has
weakened American national security. It is a rallying cry for our enemies."

9. Apology for the Mistakes of the CIA: "So don't be discouraged by what's
happened in the last few weeks. Don't be discouraged that we have to
acknowledge potentially we've made some mistakes."

8. Apology for U.S. Policy toward the Americas: "Too often, the United
States has not pursued and sustained engagement with our neighbors. We have
been too easily distracted by other priorities, and have failed to see that
our own progress is tied directly to progress throughout the Americas."

7. Apology before the Turkish Parliament: "The United States is still
working through some of our own darker periods in our history. . Our country
still struggles with the legacies of slavery and segregation, the past
treatment of Native Americans."

6. Apology for Guantanamo in France: "I don't believe that there is a
contradiction between our security and our values. And when you start
sacrificing your values, when you lose yourself, then over the long term
that will make you less secure."

5. Apology for the War on Terror: "Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain
threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. . In other words,
we went off course."

4. Apology at the G-20 Summit of World Leaders: "I would like to think that
with my election and the early decisions that we've made, that you're
starting to see some restoration of America's standing in the world."

3. Apology to the Summit of the Americas: "While the United States has done
much to promote peace and prosperity in the hemisphere, we have at times
been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms. . So I'm here
to launch a new chapter of engagement that will be sustained throughout my
administration. The United States will be willing to acknowledge past errors
where those errors have been made."

2. Apology to the Muslim World: "We sometimes make mistakes. We have not
been perfect."

1. Apology to France and Europe: "Instead of celebrating your dynamic union
and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been
times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

Now we are apologizing for saving lives in Haiti!