A question of logic. From an AP article on Aristide's letter of resignation: "Translations of Aristide's resignation, which was written in Creole, also differed in wording." "According to a U.S. Embassy translation, Aristide wrote that he resigned to prevent bloodshed." "For that reason, tonight I am resigning in order to avoid a bloodbath. I accept to leave." "An independent translation of Aristide's signed statement, done at the request of The Associated Press, suggested the wording was conditional, and it does not contain the phrase "I am resigning."" "Se pou sa aswè a, si se demisyon m ki pou evite yon ben sany, m asepte ale." "For that reason, if tonight it is my resignation that will avoid a bloodbath, I accept to leave." "Albert Valdman, a linguistics professor and specialist in Haitian Creole at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., provided AP with the independent translation. He said the U.S. translation "captures the essential meaning" of the statement but failed to bring out two important elements." "They (the missing elements) reinforce on the one hand that Aristide states that circumstances force him to resign and, on the other hand, that he strongly wishes to avoid a bloodbath," said Valdman, director of the Creole Institute at Indiana University." "In Washington, National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack maintained that Aristide resigned without being coerced. "The fact remains that Mr. Aristide resigned for the best interests of Haiti and the Haitian people, and he did so freely and of his own accord," he said." "Michael Ratner, a lawyer of the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York City, told AP "a forced resignation is not a valid resignation, and when it is conditional it is even less of a resignation."" Cheers, JL ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html