Embassy Row

Alert in Saudi Arabia

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday ordered nonessential U.S. diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia because of an increase in terrorist threats.

“We are concerned,” Mr. Powell said, adding that the “threat level has gone up” in the desert kingdom, where terrorists have been attacking security forces in several gunbattles this week.

The U.S. Embassy in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, warned of “credible” threats against American and Western interests in the kingdom. It also alerted Americans about several clashes this week between terrorists and security forces that have left seven policemen dead.

“The U.S. government continues to receive credible indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and Western interests in Saudi Arabia, including the targeting of diplomatic and other official facilities and residential compounds in Riyadh,” the embassy said on its Web site (https://riyadh.usembassy.gov).

“In addition, there have been a number of violent clashes between security forces and heavily armed militants in various Riyadh neighborhoods.”

In Saudi Arabia, officials said terrorists linked to al Qaeda killed two neighborhood patrol guards on Wednesday. Four policemen died in a confrontation with terrorists on Tuesday, and one officer was killed in a clash on Monday. A terror suspect also was killed in the Monday shootout.

Trademark of tyrants

Haiti’s ousted president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has only himself to blame for his fall from power because he turned trust into tyranny and paid “lip service to democracy,” a top U.S. diplomat said this week.

Mr. Aristide, a former priest, incited violent gangs to crush his opponents, installed thugs in the national police and packed the national telephone company with cronies who enriched themselves from its revenues, said Roger Noriega, the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

“Early on, Aristide was associated with the most egregious transgression of democratic principles: the use of violence to further political ambition and intimidate opponents. It is the trademark of tyrants …,” he told the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

Mr. Aristide, a friend of the poor during his priesthood, was first elected in 1990 and overthrown in a military coup a year later. The Clinton administration reinstated him in 1993, and he ruled either as president or as political puppet-master until he fled the country in February as rebels threatened the capital.

“I am convinced that Aristide, himself, is to blame for his own political demise,” Mr. Noriega said. “Had he not encouraged and condoned political violence, he would have had much greater moral authority and political sympathy.

“Had he not corrupted the Haitian National Police, his government could have withstood the challenge brought by a handful of rebels.

“Had he not alienated so many former allies and adversaries by grabbing for power with both hands, he would likely have had continued success at the polls.”

Mr. Noriega said the Bush administration is supporting the new interim government and hopes that Haiti finally will achieve democracy in its 200th year of independence from France.

Washington will send security experts to help rebuild the police and Treasury Department officials to help the Finance Ministry. In addition to a $52 million economic-development plan, the United States will begin an “urgent” three-year jobs program, he said.

The administration also has pledged $9 million to help Haiti prepare for elections.

“The Bush administration believes that if we all do our part and do it right, Haiti will have the democracy it deserves,” he said.

• Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or e-mail jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.