Thanks for the advice. I only gave him the benefit of the doubt; but after he showed his true colors, rabid or not he is death.

Bravo. That sums everything up right there.

Hey, dumb, dumb. Nations policies are based on the super power policies that rule the world. "Bravo. That sums everything up right there." Ask Israel not to taylor its policies base on US policies, never!!!! Go ahead make my day!!!

One can make an argument that the US tailors its foreign policy in the Middle East on Isreal's concerns and needs.

Foreign policy sure, thats what makes it foreign policy. But to change your domestic policy to suit the needs of another country is absurd.

Right, and such an argument could not be made for Haiti.

Well, I think in many cases its not basing your domestic policy on the needs of another Country, that is clearly not the general application. And nobody expects the Dominican Republic to BASE its Domestic policy on what Haiti needs. However, a policy is often very much written in REGARDS to needs of the Nation AS IT APPLIES to another Country. Take the US for example. It has TONS of people from all over the world that have migrated their, however you will notice that its MAJOR and most significant 'policy adjustments' are more so directed at and in regards to Mexico, its neighbor. The US is much more spacious, developed and economically stable than the Dominican Republic, and yet it take Mexico its neighbor into consideration not because of what MEXICO needs, but because of what the US needs. So if that happens in the US, it would happen even more so with the Dominican Republic because -
1) it is neighbors with Haiti,
2) it is only 2 Nations on the Island, a nice sized Island mind you, but with a considerable population,
3) not taking Haiti into consideration and just trying to create a 'closed-door' policy would not please its International contemporaries and would only invite more disaster down the road.

So the implication is/was never to make the Dominican Republic author their policies based off of what Haiti needs, but logically they HAVE to take them into consideration because not doing so would be detrimental to the DOMINICAN people down the road. It has to be approached from the perspective of - How does this affect us? How does this affect them? What will be the best compromise? How can we maintain a good relationship with the International Community in doing so? What message does it send to our people about our Sovereignty? What affects will it have in the future for the next Government (if Leo allows it, that is)? etc. A 'ME FIRST, SECOND and LAST' attitude will only cause more problems and help to stunt the growth of the Dominican Republic in addition to further damaging Dominican-Haitian relations.