host: peter-faso -- peter deshazo. guest: i agree that the government in haiti has not been the highest quality. part of it has been ineffective governments. i disagree with your point of view that the united states is the responsible element for any's -- haiti's ills. u.s. policy, indicate that, was not helpful, certainly not to the cause of democracy, but that changed substantially. the clinton administration supported aristide strongly in a return to democracy. he had a mixed record when he was forced out of the country in 2004 as a result of civil conflict that was brewing. the united states supported the interim government and the newly-elected government, along with the international community. that support, i think, has brought about improvement in haiti, especially in the past few years. the economy has begun to grow again. the police are beginning to stand up. it does not stand -- sound like great achievements, but in the haitian context, they are. there was in guarded optimism that they were going to finally

host: peter deshazo is at >> host: peter is the director for the americas program at the center for strategichis is a headline from monday's "new york times." u.s. role in haiti after the crisis. and it >> host: how do you strike the right balance? >> guest: the right balance is giving enough support to one the haitian people and two the haitian government that they can eventually handle the affairs of their country on their own without being overbearing. it's a difficult challenge. you're standing up basically a country that has started over and over again to try to build the most basic institutions in government. and to build an economy that's able to employ people and to produce the very high levels of poverty. it needs a lot of help but at the same time the haitians are a proud people. and want to be in charge of their own destiny to the extent that that is possibility. -- possible. >> host: how does the united states go about not being seen as occupying that country? >> guest: i think it's a matter -- it's a matter of partnership not only with the haitian government but also with the int