Customer Reviews

The Immaculate Invasion

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I highly recommend this book. Immaculate Invasion does an excellent job of portraying the events of Operation Restore Democracy. I should know, because I was a Special Forces soldier there on the ground. Although I disagree with a few of Shacochis'comments and characterizations, he is generally very accurate with his information. Shacochis tells it like it is (or was), from his point of reference. He pulls no punches. He relates the good,the bad, and the ugly regarding the US Military, the US Government, the Haitian people, and the Haitian Government. I find it laughable that several people who have neither been to Haiti nor been in the military would submit harsh reviews of this work. Take it from someone who has been there. This is an excellent book.

The Immaculate Invasion is an excellent book. Mr. Shacochis brilliantly describes the conditions that exist in Haiti. Many times I nodded my head as he described scenes in Haiti that I have experienced but could not have put into words. I also think he does a god job of portraying what was obviously a murky military mission. I wish he would have followed up more strongly on Washington's decision to lay off of FRAPH. Does this reflect an established US military policy of "low intensity conflict" that protects the economic interests of the US by protecting the economic interests of the powers that be in Haiti? It seems that he would leave it as a shadowy decision that is hard to trace. That is only true if it doesn't reflect established, but not published, policies. Read "War Against the Poor" by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Other than that I think it is a fabulous book that does not pretend to be anything other than Mr. Shacochis' impressions during a tumultuous time in Haiti that is the result of well documented historical events. Haiti is an unbelievable country with unbelievable stories. It seems a lot of people have a vested interest in what they would have us believe.

The Immaculate Invasion is a well written account of the US "intervention" in Haiti from the day the US Naval vessel, the Harlan County was unceremoniously blocked from docking in Haitian waters, to 1998, well after Jean-Bertrand Aristide had been reinstalled in the Haitian presidential palace. A short but effective smattering of Haitian history as well as graphic descriptions of the dark and tragic political and social environment makes it possible for the reader to draw quite a few unstated conclusions about how thinly the trappings of civilization can be veneered over a primitive culture.

It is written from the point of view of a journalist who seems to have an intimate understanding of the struggles of military men and their state of mind, as well as the overall strategic circumstances of their mission. The jargon he uses throughout the book is sometimes confusing due to the liberal use of military colloquialisms and acronyms as well as turns of phrase, which can at times make it difficult to understand his meaning. It is well that the book contains a glossary.

The "invasion" was immaculate in that it was really a "walk-in" with no overt hostility on either side. One major thrust of the book was the political ineptitude involved in the overall mission objectives which, in typical Clintonian 90's fashion not only muddied the waters between friend and enemy, but completely obliterated the differences between them. Without an enemy to fight, the military men were left with no clear objectives other than preventing violence, and were forced to view murderous terrorist organizations as nothing more than political parties. The author seems to believe (at least partly) that if the real bad guys were simply killed off by the US soldiers, the country would be able to rebuild itself into a nation. My own conclusion, drawn from reading between the lines was different. Primitive cultures lead to primitive governance. The elimination of every former attaché, FRAPH member, macoute and other assorted dirt bag, even if it were possible to do, would lead simply to a political vacuum which would end with the recreation of the same oppression that Aristide's revolution was meant to end.

It is clear, after reading this account that the violence and death, although lessened in intensity still continue in Haiti, and that if the foreign troops ever left, the country would revert back to it's original state of Hell. Although I don't know if the author intended to convey the message or not, it is apparent that the feel-good, New Age approach to "nation building" is simply a myth. Strobe Talbot take note!

There are not a lot of books covering the USA operation / occupation of Haiti in 1994 so I was excited to find this one. I was looking forward to a review of what actually happened, what forces were used, what they did and the overall politics involved. Unfortunately for me this book really did not cover that aspect of the occupation. The author spent his time with one group of Special Forces troops and detailed out what they went through and what the author saw going on in Haiti. This was interesting and well written, but a little too limited for my taste. The book is almost what you would expect a conversation would be like with a college buddy who was there and saw the events, not a complete account from a historic perspective.

With this being said I really enjoyed the book. It gives the reader a soldiers / reports eye view of the situation in Haiti. The real desperate conditions the Haitians live in came through in the writing. You also got a good feeling for the confusion that soldiers fell into by being asked to function is tasks that they really are not trained for, police work, social work and community planning. Shacochis also had a great way of off the cuff, smart remarks that added a lot of humor to the book. You can tell that his main writing has been fiction in the past because he spends a lot of time on the scene development - making sure the reader understands the sights and smells and not just the investigative reports trap of just the facts. I would have liked more detail, but overall the book was enjoyable.

I was reading one of the attacks (reviews)on the Immaculate Invasion and I came across the name Lynn Garrisson. I wasn't at all surprised at how he hated the book because during the three year deFacto period in Haiti, he was the public relations man for the military junta. He had an office in the Haitian military headquarters. I believe he forgot to mention that. My support for Aristide was based simply on the fact that he won an election with an overwhelming majority of the vote. The 67% of the vote he received wasn't as indicative as the 12% the second place candidate received. I stand by my recollection of the facts which stated that the pre-carnival celebrations were a disaster. They didn't begin on the big bandstand in the center of Champ-Mars, which is where they are usually held, they began across the street from where General Avril (a previous government) had set up a bunch of barbecued chicken stands. The crowds, 200-300 at best, were considerably smaller than a normal carnaval attendance, which surpasses tens of thousands. The only difference between the first Sweet Mickey concert and those of Coupe Cloue and Digital was the dozens of Sports Utility vehicles lined up along the side of the road. Eventually, after a few weeks the crowds did come out. Carnaval is not negotiable in Haiti. Schacochis' depiction was accurate. Its funny because people always say I was an Aristide supporter during the whole episode, and I did agree 100% with his return, but no one ever asked me, during the hundreds of interviews I did, whether I felt he would be an effective leader. The most interesting analogy that Mr Schacochis made was when he started his book off with the military government's attacks and use of intimidation against the band RAM and he finished his book with the Lavalas government's attacks and use of intimidation against the same band. Nothing had really changed. The newly installed government's approach to rule in Haiti hadn't changed, just some of the people. Duvaliarism without Duvalier.

Bob writes a masterful description of the misery that is Haiti. I know, I was there. He lays out all the ambiguity which is U.S. policy and documents well the infighting which any operation brings when the Department of State and the Department of Defense can't define their roles...and limits. Although Bob and I differ on whether Aristide was the Savior of Haiti or just the liberal version of the Ton Ton Macoute, he painstakeingly details the world of the Special Forces warrior who is so often thrust into the middle of ill-defined operations. Bob contrasts the darkness that is Haitian life with the light that the Green Berets brought to Limbe and other towns throughout the country. The Snake Eaters were the ONLY force operating outside the two major cities and the good things, and poor things that were done in the countryside are artfully brought to life. Unfortunately we did not go to Haiti with pure motives and this he documents well in the complete lack of a game plan by the NCA (National Command Authority) once forces went ashore, and how quickly the operation disolved from 'nation building' to 'KTLO' - Keeping The Lid On. His book concludes with poinent descriptions of how Haiti, after raising for a brief moment, once again was beginning its decent into the abyss where it has spent most of its nearly 200 years as a nation. A Good read, and recommended for anybody who wants an inside look at foreign policy or how Special Operations Forces are used in "5.56mm Diplomacy."

Shacochis writes in the literary journalistic tradition of Ryszard Kapuscinski, presenting impressions of the evolving mission of a United States Special Forces (SF) unit as it valiantly chases its tail through Haiti, never quite realizing that the tail is attached. The tail is the FRAPH, a collection of goons and murderers fastened on by the Central and Defense Intelligence Agencies and later denied, denied, denied.

Despite his liberal inclinations, Shacochis respects the men and ideals ("To free from oppression, free the oppressed.") of the SF. He shows that the warriors of the SF compose some of the most flexible and effective weapons in the United States arsenal and that they take their ideals seriously. Like any precision weapon, the SF soldier needs consistent maintenance and steady aim, neither of which were forthcoming from above. Indeed the cast of characters actually deciding policy remains nebulous in the book. I appreciated this as one of its themes, but I found myself longing for a Ray Bonner, Neil Sheehan, or even David Hackworth to enter the prose and assign some definitive responsibility.

I also wonder why Shacochis spared the soldiers in the SF the historical analysis they deserve. Had they engaged in wholesome operations in the past, or were they involved in the morally reprehensible debacles in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua? These are barely broached. Instead of providing historic context for the SF, Shacochis seems dazzled by their military prowess. We all *should* be dazzled, but at times Shacochis' message resonates like a true, but false, NRA bumper sticker, "Green Berets don't kill people, politicians and generals kill people." Yes, but green berets can make the killing so much more convenient.

This is a fine book and the soldier's stories are worthwhile reading. They makes clear that ultimately the SF did what it was told as best it could and that the SF tried to be the good guys in Haiti during very troubled times. But I wonder if we can explore the example of the SF in Haiti alone and draw meaningful conclusions. What of the dark classified side of the SF? The SF of the 1980's? That is also their story - and one that needs telling if we are to truly understand.

The Immaculate Invasion does a good job of using the forgotten liberating invasion of Haiti in the 1990's to poke fun at the grand ole' U.S.A. and its absurd military and policy strategies concerning the Third World. It gains more relevance since it occurred right in our back yard, albeit in the highly impoverished and very black caribbean island of Haiti that reminds no one of their favorite tour destination. That's also what makes it an interesting read. How much does anybody really know about this tortured little slice of land that, if you live in the right area of the nation, is closer to your front door than New York or Oregon or numerous points in between? The author writes as a journalist, but injects enough humour here and there to liven up the work. The book is very well researched and full of fascinating historical and modern factoids. The culture of Haiti is both comic and fascinating and desperate at once, while the culture of the U.S. military is seen as it really is in these situations - ridiculous. The most powerful military in history intervening in places like Haiti and Somalia and Grenada, albeit in a "peacekeeping" role, really shows what a stupid bunch of apes we let people elect to rule us.

It is always sad when some outsider arrives, spends a couple of months in my country - discovers the HOLY GRAIL - and then sets out to analyze a complex subject (HAITI) in simple terms. Shocochis does just this. He comes to Haiti, associates with a few people who have specific agendas, then presents their views as being those of the majority.

I was at the National Penitentiary the day that Captain Lawrence Rockwood arrived to save the world. He was dressed in full battle-gear and seemed to be high on something, other than a simple emotion to save the world. He was led away by an American Major in what can only be described as a drugged state. His court martial became a cause for America's liberal left who also chose to ignore the plight of Haiti's children during the murderous embargo. To Shacochis Rockwood is a hero. Another example of his ignoring facts that don't fit his storyline.

Interested readers should "Mouse Down" to Lynn Garrison's review of this book. Garrison sacrificed everything he had in an effort to save my nation. Now, after 5.5 years have passed by, his truths have become apparent. Unfortunately, the Americans, General Cedras and others did not listen to him at the time. He was right. We were wrong and now the Haitian people pay.

I am a Haitian and was in Haiti throughout the period involved. Under the so-called Cedras regime there was peace, law and order. Business functioned,. With President Clinton's return of Democracy we were inflicted with Aristide, an anti-American psychotic manic-depressive who had murdered two presidential candidates before his flight into safe exile, September 29, 1991. His violence has continued to the present day - even as the media suggests Aristide is the most popular politician in Haiti. He isn't. Aristide is simply the richest and most ruthless.He has stolen the May 21 election and will steal the November, 2000 presidential ballot.

Aristide - Shacochis' hero- is now in charge of the cocaine traffic into America. Writers like Shacochis, and members of the media family are to blame for the disaster that has befallen my nation.

Compare this book with Robert Kaplan or Thomas Friedman, both of which also write about contemporary events and non-fiction, the Immaculate Invasion was a real disappointment. Reminded me more of the gonzo journalism of Hunter Thompson than anything. In the end we learn a lot more about how totally cool Shacochis is than what transpired in Haiti.