Haiti gang violence reignites calls for international aid

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Oct 23, 2024 View in browser   By Eric Bazail-Eimil, Robbie Gramer and Phelim Kine Haiti’s chronic instability has transformed the country into one of the Western hemisphere’s worst humanitarian crises. | Odelyn Joseph/AP With help from Emmy Martin Subscribe here | Email Robbie | Email Eric A new wave of gang violence is hitting Haiti, and Haitian officials are pleading with international allies for more help. But more support for the country’s embattled police forces doesn’t look to be coming anytime soon. Violence has reignited in the country following a lull in the first weeks after a Kenyan-led, U.N.-backed multinational security force arrived in July. It started with a brutal Oct. 3 massacre in the small town of Pont-Sondé, far from the capital, in which gangs killed more than 100 people. Then on Tuesday, the Haitian Justice Ministry warned that gangs in the country’s capital were threatening to assassinate Prime Minister GARRY CONILLE and other officials. Meanwhile, 5,000 people and a contingent of Haitian police were forced to retreat Monday in the face of intense gunfire from gangs in Port-au-Prince. Haiti’s chronic instability has transformed the country into one of the Western hemisphere’s worst humanitarian crises, and one that poses a major refugee challenge for the United States as more Haitians seek to flee the country. BOCCHIT EDMOND , Haiti’s former foreign minister and ambassador to Washington, warns that U.N.-backed and U.S.-funded forces are failing to stem the violence. “The security situation is getting worse and worse every day,” Edmond said. “I just don’t understand why gangs are killing the civilian population every day under the eyes of the international community and multinational security force.” The United States pushed to upgrade the MSS mission to a U.N. peacekeeping mission, but had to table the proposal at the United Nations last month after Russia and China opposed it. It’s unclear whether the worsening security situation and pleas from Haiti’s own government will convince major U.N. powers to revisit the matter. The National Security Council said in a statement to NatSec Daily that it is “urging the international community to increase their support” for the mission. The NSC also defended that mission, saying that “despite the instability that continues,” it represents “a unique opportunity to build a foundation of security and bring hope to Haitians that deserve to live their lives free of violence.” Edmond and members of Haiti’s provisional government argue the U.S. and other major powers should revive the push for a full-scale U.N. peacekeeping mission and add more troops and resources to the response. He believes that could stabilize Haiti enough to hold elections and form a new government to stabilize the country. At least one analyst says more resources should be poured into the multinational support mission in the interim. RENATA SEGURA , who leads Latin America work at the International Crisis Group, told NatSec Daily that the gangs, while well-armed, would be no match for a properly-equipped security force. But she concedes that congressional opposition to greater funding for the multinational support mission continues and that regional allies have “washed their hands” of Haiti. “If there were an impulse to actually provide the MSS with what it needs, it would not be so difficult to significantly change the situation,” she said. “Unfortunately, it's a small country. It's a Black country. And that makes it really sort of uninteresting for the majority of the countries and it’s just a disgrace.” A message from Lockheed Martin: PAC-3® MSE: World's Most Advanced Air Defense Missile Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) is increasing production to help our partners address evolving threats around the globe. PAC-3 MSE defends in a multi-domain environment as the most advanced air defense missile. Learn more.   The Inbox BLINKEN’S MEETINGS SPEED-RUN: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN is on his11th visit to the Middle East this week, but it's unclear how if at all these meetings can lead to any diplomatic breakthrough when his first 10 visits came up short. A day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, President ISAAC HERZOG, Minister of Strategic Affairs RON DERMER and Defense Minister YOAV GALLANT, Blinken slated a call with Jordanian Foreign Minister AYMAN SAFADI and met with both Saudi Foreign Minister FAISAL BIN FARHAN AL SAUD and Saudi Crown Prince MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN in Riyadh. On the agenda in all the calls and meetings today were potential off-ramps for the war in the Gaza Strip and how to broker a diplomatic solution in Lebanon. In one conspicuous note, Blinken also “expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting stability and peace in the region,” per a State Department release about the meeting between him and the Saudi Crown Prince. It’ll be a challenge for the gamut of calls and meetings to lead to a drop in the temperature in the Middle East. Israel and Hamas remain sharply at odds and unlikely to reach a cease-fire deal imminently, and Israel continues to launch strikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon. Israel’s military is also threatening to imminently respond to Iran’s Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack. WHO’S AFRAID OF UKRAINE IN NATO: The U.S. and Germany are slow-walking Kyiv’s bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, our own STUART LAU, VERONIKA MELKOZEROVA, Robbie and JONATHAN LEMIRE report. Four U.S. and NATO officials and diplomats told POLITICO that Berlin and Washington are keeping Ukraine from receiving an immediate invitation to join the transatlantic alliance, which Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY has framed as a critical piece of his victory plan to end the country’s war against Russia. The worries, per officials, is that they could end up getting ensnared in a war with Russia over the invitation. Of course, the U.S. and Germany are not the only opponents to Ukraine joining NATO — Hungary and Slovakia are blocking Ukraine’s entry owing to their warm ties with the Kremlin, and many other alliance members are content to hide behind Washington and Berlin’s opposition. But the two countries’ reservations will likely keep the Baltic and Polish-supported push to welcome Kyiv into NATO frozen in place for the time being. SULLIVAN LAUDS BIDEN’S CHINA LEGACY: National security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN touted the success of Biden administration efforts to counter Chinese economic and trade policies harmful to the U.S. in a speech at the Brookings Institution think tank Wednesday. As our own PHELIM KINE writes in, Sullivan argued that administration moves including targeted tariffs on Chinese imports and investment in critical minerals essential to the green transition have placed the U.S. in a stronger economic position in its relationship with China. Sullivan didn’t mention Democratic presidential candidate KAMALA HARRIS in his comments. But their timing of the talk — just 12 days prior to the U.S. presidential election in which the economy is front-and-center — is a tacit nod to Harris’ role in an administration claiming to have knocked back Beijing while helping build back the U.S. industrial base. And while Sullivan also didn’t mention former President DONALD TRUMP , he did take a swing at his more aggressive China proposals, condemning “indiscriminate, broad based tariffs” that “will harm workers and businesses, both in the United States and our partners.” The specter of Beijing’s growing economic might — what Sullivan called the threat of a “second China shock” — was threaded throughout his remarks. Diversification of supply chains is essential “so that no country, particularly China, can hold us hostage,” Sullivan said. Opponents have questioned the value of economic brinkmanship with Beijing given the continued trade ties between the U.S. and China. Sullivan also nodded to “a PRC cyber threat to our critical infrastructure” and warned of Chinese-connected vehicles getting "daily software updates" and "sending reams of information back" to China as a growing national security risk. BEIJING’S NOT INTO LABELS: Beijing is fed up with all this talk about how its close ties with the authoritarians in Iran, Russia and North Korea — and their mutual antipathy for what Biden officials often call “the rules-based international order” — have created a malign axis. As Phelim also writes in, China’s Foreign Ministry issued a 500-plus word statement today dumping on the whole “axis” narrative. “By arbitrarily labeling China, Russia, DPRK and Iran as an ‘axis,’ the U.S. mirrors its own mentality of bloc confrontation onto other countries, creating ‘imaginary enemies’ and compelling others to choose sides,” the statement said. Some have termed the budding foursome a new “axis of evil.” Brookings is partial to “axis of revisionists,” while the Global Taiwan Institute has coined the phrase “axis of disorder.” Meanwhile, Trump’s former deputy security adviser MATT POTTINGER prefers the “axis of chaos.” IT’S WEDNESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily! This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at rgramer@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com, and follow Robbie and Eric on X @RobbieGramer and @ebazaileimil. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s global security team:@dave_brown24,@HeidiVogt,@RosiePerper,@nahaltoosi, @PhelimKine, @ErinBanco,@connorobrienNH,@paulmcleary,@reporterjoe,@magmill95, @johnnysaks130, and @JGedeon1     ELECTION 2024 HAGERTY’S NOT SWEATING: One of the leading contenders to be Trump’s secretary of State isn’t too concerned about Trump’s alleged praise of Nazi generals and concerns that Trump may be a “fascist.” In an appearance on CNN this morning, Sen. BILL HAGERTY (R-Tenn.) swatted away accusations from former Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Secretary JOHN KELLY that Trump was a “fascist” and claims that Trump had voiced his desire for “the kind of generals Hitler had.” Hagerty, who was Trump’s ambassador to Tokyo, noted that the relationship between Kelly and Trump was never good. “I worked both with General Kelly and President Trump in the last administration, and it was not a good fit,” he said. “I would take that with a grain of salt, just as I would some of the other things that have been reported that have been debunked consistently along these lines. Trying to compare President Trump to Hitler is dangerous.” Hagerty wasn’t the only big player put on the spot today about Kelly’s comments, from interviews with The Atlantic and The New York Times. As our own IRIE SENTNER reports , Harris leapt on the criticisms to accuse Trump of wanting unchecked power if elected. “Donald Trump said that because he does not want a military that is loyal to the United States constitution,” she said on Wednesday. “He wants a military that is loyal to him.” Keystrokes BEIJING’S BOT BONANZA: Chinese-controlled social media bots have flooded the net in U.S. southern U.S. states ahead of the upcoming elections, parroting false accusations of corruption and antisemitic messages and appearing to target U.S. lawmakers that are hawkish against Beijing. The troll network, identified by Microsoft as Taizi Flood, is affiliated with China’s ministry of public security, as Reuters reports,. It’s unclear whether or how much influence and impact this bot network had as it targeted Republican lawmakers like Rep. MICHAEL McCAUL — the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — and Sen. MARSHA BLACKBURN. Still, it’s the latest sign of how China is increasingly leaning on social media tools to try and influence U.S. domestic politics. The Complex AMBITIONS DOWN UNDER: Australia is making big moves in the defense industrial space, our friends at Morning Defense report (for Pros!). Australia recently secured agreements with Norway’s Kongsberg to produce Joint Strike Missiles for F-35s in Australia and with Lockheed Martin to manufacture Ground Launched Multiple Rocket Systems and Precision Strike Missiles. And that’s no coincidence —- other efforts to build nuclear-powered submarines and artillery shells are all part of a “deliberate” effort on Canberra’s part to position the country as a defense exporter. In an interview with our own PAUL McLEARY, Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery PAT CONROY said that there are “opportunities given the global challenges and the lessons from Ukraine.” He added: “We're deliberately building [munitions] at a capacity greater than what we need for our domestic needs.” Canberra, which founded the AUKUS submarines pact with London and Washington, has stepped up its co-production efforts with allies and its collaborations with countries in the Indo-Pacific. Broadsides FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — RELEASE THE STRATEGY: Thirteen faith-based and foreign policy advocacy organizations that are generally skeptical of U.S. military interventions sent a letter today to President JOE BIDEN, Blinken and Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN calling for the U.S. to release an unclassified version of its Ukraine strategy. The White House sent Congress a classified version of its strategy on the war in Ukraine earlier this year. But House Republicans have called for an unclassified version to be released in the interest of public accountability and transparency. In the letter , shared first with NatSec Daily, the groups, led by the non-interventionist Quincy Institute think tank, say they join that “call for transparency and accountability through the release of an unclassified strategy, and hope that the strategy submitted includes plans for robust diplomatic engagement.” These groups also argue that the administration needs a clear strategy to drive U.S. policy “that includes robust diplomatic engagement, clear objectives and realistic plans.” Among the other signatories of the letter are the United Church of Christ, the American Friends Service Committee and the non-interventionist advocacy group Just Foreign Policy. Transitions — Changed jobs in the natsec world? Heard about any office moves lately? Email rgramer@politico.com and ebazail@politico.com because we want to hear about it. What to Read — CLARISSA WARD, CNN: ‘The world doesn’t see us:’ What a militia chief said while holding me captive in Darfur — GIOVANNI LEGORANO, Foreign Policy: The UN is ineffective in Lebanon — and indispensable — IRIE SENTNER, POLITICO: ‘Don’t blame us, blame yourself’: Furious at Harris, Arab Americans in Michigan face a hard choice Tomorrow Today — German Marshall Fund of the United States, 9:30 a.m.: Poland's priorities of growth, security, competitiveness — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs and the Middle East Research and Information Project, 12 p.m.: The war on Lebanon: History, politics and resistance — RAND Corporation, 12 p.m.: Generative artificial intelligence and information warfare — Wilson Center's Indo-Pacific Program, 2 p.m.: U.S.-Japan relations and prospects for multilateral economic cooperation — Center for Strategic and International Studies, 4 p.m.: Powering progress: Deploying U.S. clean technologies in emerging economies — Hudson Institute, 5 p.m.: The visible hand: Positioning america to compete Thanks to our editor, Heidi Vogt, who is destabilizing our security situation every day. Thanks to our producer, Gregory Svirnovskiy, who is organizing a peacekeeping operation to rescue us.  A message from Lockheed Martin: PAC-3® MSE: World's Most Advanced Air Defense Missile Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) is increasing production to help our partners address evolving threats around the globe. PAC-3 MSE defends in a multi-domain environment as the most advanced air defense missile. Learn more.     Follow us on Twitter Robbie Gramer @RobbieGramer Eric Bazail-Eimil @ebazaileimil   Follow us

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