The Ghost Republic

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The country suffers from unproductive agricultural lands (the results of massive topsoil erosion), massive deforestation (which causes mudslides and enhances the power of hurricanes), and poor food, water, and housing quality that supports the transmission of communicable diseases. 

Not by coincidence, Haiti has also been the host of multiple US military interventions. The country currently hosts a UN peacekeepign mission. States that are under severe ecological stress are inherenlty unstable because they can't support an economy and as a result, their population. 

The study of how environmental issues translate into security issues is the idea of sustainable security &/or natural security. By investing in sustainable development as a security initiative, the United States can support global development (opening new markets), enhance global security (lowering costs for multilateral cooperation), and address global climate change (reducing the risk of endemic conflict).

While Pres. Obama continues to reassess U.S. policy in Latin America, Haiti enjoys a rare "dual window" of political space and physical security that it has not experienced in recent times. Read this report from the Center for American Progress to learn more 

Recently, former President Bill Clinton has been named special envoy to the country by the United Nations in an effort to boost development of the Caribbean state. Maybe you can help out. There are a lot of opportunities for short-term volunteer projects on the island. Haiti has a rich, vibrant history. By being part of that history you might discover a passion for development in the Americas, and help change the debate over foreign assistance in the process.