The White House on Thursday said that the United States" efforts in Haiti are not meant to undermine the Haitian government. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs" comments came just hours after U.S. President Barack Obama announced that his administration is investing $100 million this year to the relief effort in Haiti after the country was devastated by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. The relief efforts made by the United States have been done in coordination with the Haitian government, Gibbs said. Though Gibbs said that Obama has not been able to speak directly with Haitian President Rene Preval, he said that the White House has been able to communicate with him through the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Kenneth Merten. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley echoed Gibbs" comments, saying, "We"re not taking over Haiti. We are helping to stabilize Haiti, we"re helping to provide them lifesaving support." "The Haitian government is in control of Haiti," Gibbs said, adding that the United States" primary focus at the moment is to assist in the immediate recovery and aid to the country, along with seeking and assisting the nearly 45,000 Americans that were in Haiti. "Time is critical to those safety efforts," Gibbs said, urging immediate action. The United States is continuing to examine ways in which they can assist medically as well, which is in dire need. Not commenting on specifics, Gibbs said he would check on any discussions about bringing people in need of medical assistance to the United States, or on any medical staging that may take place in the neighboring Dominican Republic, or the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Gibbs also confirmed that Obama had asked former U.S. President George W. Bush to work alongside former U.S. President Bill Clinton to lead the nation"s humanitarian and relief efforts to Haiti. The partnership is similar to one that Clinton and former President George H.W. Bush formed five years ago after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean devastated coastal nations. Clinton is already the United Nations special envoy to Haiti, a position to which he was appointed last year to improve economic conditions to the nation.
