Haiti’s Gen. Cedras

It will be interesting to see how Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras in Haiti will dodge U.N. Ambassador Madeleine Albright’s latest ultimatum to get out or get shot. If he reads the papers he’ll see we really don’t mean it.

Look at Gen. Mohammed Farah Aidid in Somalia. He’s back in full bloom, living off military and civilian supplies brought in by courtesy of the American taxpayer.

Then there’s North Korea. We had the Navy, the Marines and the Air Force on super-alert and had started a program to anesthetize the American public to the possibility of another Korean war. When Kim Il Sung died, we sent our heartfelt condolences and withdrew the fleet to home port.

The current villain is Cedras. If he’s smart, he’ll reduce the island speed limit to 90 miles an hour. That way, the outside world won’t be able to tell Haiti from Southern California and Madam Albright can lay claim to another victory of democracy in the Caribbean.

W. E. DUNKLE

Camarillo

I see that U.S. Marines will be leading an invasion of Haiti, if that is necessary. I trust that President Clinton will find men and women more willing to serve this nation than he was when he evaded the draft as this nation battled in Vietnam.

As a person drafted in 1966, and the brother of a brave Marine killed in Vietnam, I find it ironic that Clinton is asking soldiers to do what he was unwilling to do.

GARY L. WASHBURN

Chatsworth

Someone said diplomacy is like saying “nice doggie” until you can find a rock. Apparently President Clinton can’t find any rocks.

ROBERT J. FRIAS

Santa Maria