Secretary of State Clinton pushes back against critics of Haiti earthquake relief effort

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gestures during a town
hall style meeting with employees marking her one year
anniversary at the State Department, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010, at
the State Department in Washington. Clinton made it clear that
the United States did not appreciate recent criticism of Haiti
earthquake relief efforts from Italian and French officials.  (AP
Photo/Alex Brandon)

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In the wake of criticism from an Italian official that called Haiti earthquake relief efforts ‘pathetic’, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought to set the record straight. Clinton stood firm and in no uncertain terms explained that the U.S. did not appreciate the assessment of some foreign officials.

Speaking at a town hall meeting marking her first year at the Department of State, Clinton told the gathered diplomatic corps, “I deeply resent those who attack our country, the generosity of our people, and the leadership of our President in trying to respond to historically disastrous conditions after the earthquake.”

• Watch: Complete video of Secretary Clinton's speech

Comments in recent days by officials of other nations threatened to unravel the international goodwill and cooperation that has emerged following the devastating earthquake. Clinton’s blunt language was a change from the usually carefully worded responses that are said publically by diplomats.

Seeking to clarify the United States’ role in the recovery efforts, the Secretary of State said, “Some of the international press either misunderstood or deliberately misconstrued what was a civilian and military response, both of them necessary in order to be able to deliver aid to the Haitians who desperately needed it.”

We’re not going to leave unanswered charges against the United States of America and the kind of work that we do every single day. That has to be, going forward, what becomes the norm, not the exception.
~ U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Clinton made it clear that the U.S. would no longer passively accept unfounded criticism of its foreign policy. She said that legitimate critiques were acceptable but that when they were not, the U.S. would “push back.”

The head of Italy’s Civil Protection Agency, Guido Bertolaso said in a television interview earlier this week that relief efforts were ““a pathetic situation which could have been much better organized".
His statements were disavowed by the government in an attempt to calm the diplomatic row. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi issued a statement saying, "Without the generous and significant intervention of the United States everything would have been much more difficult."

Less than a week after the quake, Alain Joyandet, French Minister for Cooperation, questioned the United States sending so many troops to help with relief and accused the U.S. of trying to occupy the nation. In an interview with Europe 1 radio, Joyandet said, “It’s a matter of helping Haiti, not occupying Haiti.” French ministers were quick to dismiss Joyandet commentary.

Many Americans have taken great exception to the criticism. They point out that it was France that occupied Haiti for over 100 years from 1697 to 1804. Further, the United States has contributed significantly more financial and material aid to Haiti than any other nation.

To date, the U.S. has given $379 million worth of aid - $32% of the total. By contrast, France has given $31.3 million which is less than 10% of the U.S. total and less than 3% of that given by all nations. Italy has contributed $9.3 million or less than 1% of the total.

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