Asked if he felt indebted to Russia for helping crush the Hungarian uprising in 1848, Austria's Prince Schwarzenberg replied, "Austria will astound the world with the magnitude of her ingratitude." So will Haiti.
The first headlines from Haiti had boisterous, almost frenetic crowds joyfully welcoming American troops. Alas, we were also received with joy in Somalia. Why, even the Israelis were showered with flowers (by locals glad to be rid of the P.L.O.) when they invaded Lebanon in 1982. Three years later, they withdrew under a hail of bullets and bombs.
Initial shows of gratitude by the occupied are the norm....
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