Get a Clue, Aruba!
It is just as amazing to me that people who don't have any real knowledge of this case (such as people halfway across the world or some no-name radio talk show host in California) make posts accusing Americans of being arrogant or daring to hold a foriegn people accountable for the petty, corrupt government that they allow to be in power and re-elected themselves. They accuse the U.S. of being arrogant because we expect something from Aruba that is well within anyone's rights as the family of a crime victim and well within Aruba's ability to provide...and things that our own justice system does its very best to provide.
I say to you- between 70% and 75% of Aruba's tourism comes from the U.S. (reports vary), and as such we do have the right to expect a lot from Aruba and we do have the right to question them until they find Natalee. Nobody has yet to explain why we owe the Arubans anything at all. Go ahead- someone explain that to me; I would like to hear it. Even Walter admits that we Americans have no obligation to Aruba here. We don't- there are many other Caribbean destinations just as nice as Aruba and maybe even safer and less corrupt- even the claim that Aruba is outside of the hurricane corridor is a minor advantage. The U.S. has its share of hurricanes too and they really don't scare people too much- just ask all the people who didn't evacuate New Orleans because they didn't feel the need. The DEA listening posts? There's plenty of Caribbean and even South American countries that would gladly host them instead if the right carrot is dangled in front of them. The oil? Most of American demands come from the Middle East, not from South America. We don't need the Valero refinery.
In short, America does not owe Aruba anything, and like it or not, we do have the right to with hold our business if we don't think Aruba is doing a good job. And we don't think that at all. Nationwide, most Americans support the boycott, most Americans believe there is a cover-up in Aruba, and most (69%) don't believe a damn word of what Joran says (incidentally another 23% think he's lying to some degree. That means that 92% of Americans don't fully trust the van der Sloots if at all).
Here's another thing that occurs to me: people who accuse the U.S. of lording over Aruba just because things aren't going our way probably don't know about (or like the Arubans themselves don't want to admit to) all the very questionable things that ALE has done since Natalee disappeared. Or do Americans somehow not have the right to question these things as well? On what grounds do we not have this right? Funny how the people who accuse America of being arrogant are pretty arrogant themselves for expecting us not look long and hard at Aruba, to just take everything they say and do as truthful and honest after months of them proving themselves utterly incapable of truth or competence. You can't stop us from questioning that, not short of proving these allegations are untrue. Some of the allegations that are leveled at Aruba Walter has corrected me on, but what he doesn't understand is that even issues like who said what and what happened to evidence and signed statements is a matter of opinion because Aruba has failed to convince Americans we're wrong! Until these issues are honestly addressed, it is just the family's word against Aruba's... it's a no-brainer to figure out who's winning that battle in the U.S.!
Let's look at some of these issues:
- two black security guards were arrested (and are still considered suspects) just because a priviledged little elitist Dutch boy last known to be with Natalee said to. Incidentally, minority rights groups are getting involved now on behalf of the security guards because of this blatant example of racism,
- selective involvement of the FBI- they have only been observers in the questioning of the three suspects, have only been able to analyze a few of the things ALE has found, and have been generally given access to the case only when it suits Aruba's PR machine. And by the way, let me uncover a few lies that Aruba has been perpetrating: first, there is nothing in Dutch or Aruban law that prevents the FBI from having much greater access- there is just no precedent for it. No precedence does not equal illegality. Basically, the FBI can have as much access as ALE and the government wants them to have. Second, there is no way that Beth and Dave can challenge the findings of the investigation or the judicial process, not through the Netherlands, not through Aruba, not through any treaty. When the Kalpoes' lawyer said they can appeal to the Hague he LIED. Just remember that when you question the need for a boycott, or why Beth felt this was necessary. I question why the suspects, their lawyers, the ALE, and Aruba's spin machine feels the need to lie and keep changing their stories. Arubans have no right to complain that America doesn't trust them or believe them with this kind of track record.
- failure to search the entire van der Sloot property, only Joran's apartment even though Joran had access to the whole property when Natalee disappeared. His lawyer claims the whole property was searched, but Gerold Dompig said on network TV in the U.S. that a warrant was obtained only for the apartment. So either the suspect's lawyer is lying, or a key ALE official is.
But I guess we Americans are just ignorant of how Dutch law works. I'm just a simple working man but searching the entire property even seems important to me!
- the FBI called the Aruban legal community 'incestuous' meaning that all prosecutors, investigators, judges, and lawyers know each other well (most of them are Dutch too). More than one person (including a Dutch woman living in London) tells me that the Dutch upper classes are elitist and stick up for each other above all else, and given these two facts how can any investigation in Aruba involving a Dutch suspect be impartial and fair without Netherlands supervision? The lack of oversight and accountability is appalling...it eclipses any story of Deep South 'good ole boys' corruption I've ever heard!
-failure to interrogate all of Joran's friends (like Koen Gottenbos, who has access to his father's 22-foot speedboat) until long after Natalee disappeared if at all,
-failure to search all of the properties of all of the suspects (such as Lorenzo van der Sloot van Rijn's Barcadera ranch house, which we know now is a drug lab thanks to PIs),
-(conveniently) failing to obtain search warrants for the entire van der Sloot property, the Kalpoes' car, and several of their friends' vehicles in a timely manner if at all because there was not enough evidence to convince a judge this was necessary. Funny how my Aruban friend 'Natalia' tells me that had the judge been Aruban and not Dutch those outcomes would have been much different. What kind of moron lets the main suspect go just because he wants to go to college?! What kind of idiot doesn't issue a search warrant for the entire property- is there no probable cause in Dutch law? Of course even the most honest judge would have no choice but to let Joran go if the evidence presented toward this was deliberately botched, wouldn't he now?
- why is the Aruban government more concerned with hiring spin doctors like Steve Cohen and that idiot Ruben Trappenburg to lie to the American public and then their own people instead of doing productive things like hiring more investigators and enlisting Dutch agents to make sure the investigation is not being internally sabotaged even now as Americans fear? Do you think that Beth and Dave requested the removal of Karin Janssen, Dennis Jacobs, and Gerold Dompig just for kicks and giggles?
- why is ALE more focused on Natalee's 'physical and emotional state' that finding ways to rearrest the last three people known to be with her? The Arubans seem to think that a lack of evidence proves innocence, but it only proves there is a lack of evidence. Americans are asking why- is it because the three slimebags involved are as innocent as they claim or is it because they had a little help from their daddy's friends in ALE? Why do the Aruban police murmur about the dirty things they know about Beth and Natalee, even though these things are not a bit more credible than our own suspicions about Aruba? As I udnerstand it, blaming the victim is a common sign of guilt in the mind of the guilty. Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear...Arubans, are you afraid?
-Why is supposedly valuable evidence like the Holiday Inn tapes showing Joran and Natalee at the tables released to the news media when doing so voids its use in a Dutch court of law? Again, how convenient is that to Joran? Does ALE have no control over its own people, even? Why isn't ALE investigating this leak immediately...I would think that if they had any real interest in solving this disappearance they would make damn sure things like this don't happen. But I guess that is just another honest 'mistake'...
- Speaking of ALE, why were officers known to be friends of the van der Sloots (like Jan van der Straaten) even allowed to be in charge when there is no possible way they could be trusted with impartiality? Why are officers known to be corrupt and known to have solicited bribes from the Twittys (like Dennis Jacobs) still on the case and still not under investigation themselves? Why does Oduber want to wait until the case is closed and everyone's asses are covered before investigating the investigation itself?
-why is it that every time an Aruban governmental official like Rudy Croes or Nelson Oduber opens their mouths they say things like, "I'm sick and tired of hearing about this" or even worse, threatening to ban Beth from Aruba and arresting her if she comes back (as Rudy Croes did)? That doesn't seem to indicate to me that the Aruban government gives a damn about Natalee, her family, or America's opinion or our business. Why should we Americans keep pouring our money into Aruba if that is how they really feel and how they keep acting? People accuse Beth of being after fame or money but you know what? It has never been about Natalee to the ALE or the Aruban government or the ATA and AHATA...it has always been about the money.
In closing, I am going to present a few of the truths that Aruba faces; like it or not, Aruba, this is how it is right now. Only fully transparent, unquestionable, provable actions (and when I say provable I mean provable to Americans' satisfaction) and results will change any of this now:
1. It doesn't matter what the truth about Aruba or Natalee's disappearance is, what matters is what American think is the truth. Right now, what Americans think is true about Aruba is not good at all...
2. You can and will be held accountable for this in the U.S. No amount of pointing fingers at our own crime rates, protesting about how 'Dutch law is different', accusing the U.S. media of being unfair or blowing this out of proportion, or accusing the U.S. of being arrogant in demanding more that Aruba has provided will sway us. You cannot stop America from questioning everything your investigation does now...the ALE and your governmental politics betrayed our trust long, long ago.
3. As the providers of at least 70% of your economy, we have every right to spend our money elsewhere if we're not happy. We do not owe Aruba anything...in short, you need us far more than we need you. That is not arrogance, that is just the way things are.
4. If any of the assertions I made above are incorrect, prove to us that they are. Every question that remains in Americans' minds, every mistake, broken promise, questionable action, missing piece of evidence, and excuse Aruba makes puts a huge question mark in our minds. The burden of proof might be very heavy on the prosecution in the Dutch system, but in popular opinion the burden of proof is squarely on the accused. As long as questions exist and as long as your government and ALE do not fully explain those occurrences, Americans will doubt you and distrust you. Remember that.
5. There is nothing to prevent Beth, Dave, Joe Mammana, or anyone else dedicated to finding Natalee from smearing Aruba's reputation to the end of their days, justified or not. Walter has admitted to me that Aruba just hopes this will go away in a year or two, but you fail to realize that Beth talks about how unsafe and predator-ridden Aruba is at every school campus she visits as part of her 'Save Yourself' safety campaign. Dave's book (which incidentally calls Aruba corrupt in the title) will be on bookshelves for a long, long time to come. There is no effective time frame on how long Americans will doubt, distrust, and even hate Aruba for failing to find natalee and unduly prolonging her family's suffering.
6. Until you demand more immediate and constant accountability and oversight in this investigation and full FBI inclusion, you have no cause to complain about the 'bad rap' Aruba is getting now. It takes a long time to build a reputation but an instant to destroy it huh? If you truly want the business and goodwill of the U.S. again, then you have to earn it all over again. Like it or not, you have no choice but to find Natalee...if you cannot or will not, then you have no right to complain about this oh-so-unfair treatment.
7. Finally, the Aruban people are not at fault here...the one protest Arubans have that is legitimate is that the three suspects are not even Aruban! The Dutch system of control and their lack of oversight and accountability toward Aruba and especially its cozy, corrupt government is the problem! Aruba, why do you accept and coddle these people who are ultimately allowing all of this to happen? It is time to take a long, hard look at how happy you are under the MEP's and the Netherland's thumb, how confident you are that your government and ALE is not corrupt and elitist, how equitable your society really is between the Dutch and native Arubans, and how badly you want your reputation back. If you cannot do these things, then you have no right to complain about how America views you.
I'm sorry if you don't like to hear these things, but they are the conditions you face now, thanks to months of disappointing us again and again ad nauseum. No arguement that Aruba or the Netherlands or anyone that just plain hates America can change the harsh realities of the situation. Beth, Dave, and Natalee deserve better than this, and so do the Aruban people.
I say to you- between 70% and 75% of Aruba's tourism comes from the U.S. (reports vary), and as such we do have the right to expect a lot from Aruba and we do have the right to question them until they find Natalee. Nobody has yet to explain why we owe the Arubans anything at all. Go ahead- someone explain that to me; I would like to hear it. Even Walter admits that we Americans have no obligation to Aruba here. We don't- there are many other Caribbean destinations just as nice as Aruba and maybe even safer and less corrupt- even the claim that Aruba is outside of the hurricane corridor is a minor advantage. The U.S. has its share of hurricanes too and they really don't scare people too much- just ask all the people who didn't evacuate New Orleans because they didn't feel the need. The DEA listening posts? There's plenty of Caribbean and even South American countries that would gladly host them instead if the right carrot is dangled in front of them. The oil? Most of American demands come from the Middle East, not from South America. We don't need the Valero refinery.
In short, America does not owe Aruba anything, and like it or not, we do have the right to with hold our business if we don't think Aruba is doing a good job. And we don't think that at all. Nationwide, most Americans support the boycott, most Americans believe there is a cover-up in Aruba, and most (69%) don't believe a damn word of what Joran says (incidentally another 23% think he's lying to some degree. That means that 92% of Americans don't fully trust the van der Sloots if at all).
Here's another thing that occurs to me: people who accuse the U.S. of lording over Aruba just because things aren't going our way probably don't know about (or like the Arubans themselves don't want to admit to) all the very questionable things that ALE has done since Natalee disappeared. Or do Americans somehow not have the right to question these things as well? On what grounds do we not have this right? Funny how the people who accuse America of being arrogant are pretty arrogant themselves for expecting us not look long and hard at Aruba, to just take everything they say and do as truthful and honest after months of them proving themselves utterly incapable of truth or competence. You can't stop us from questioning that, not short of proving these allegations are untrue. Some of the allegations that are leveled at Aruba Walter has corrected me on, but what he doesn't understand is that even issues like who said what and what happened to evidence and signed statements is a matter of opinion because Aruba has failed to convince Americans we're wrong! Until these issues are honestly addressed, it is just the family's word against Aruba's... it's a no-brainer to figure out who's winning that battle in the U.S.!
Let's look at some of these issues:
- two black security guards were arrested (and are still considered suspects) just because a priviledged little elitist Dutch boy last known to be with Natalee said to. Incidentally, minority rights groups are getting involved now on behalf of the security guards because of this blatant example of racism,
- selective involvement of the FBI- they have only been observers in the questioning of the three suspects, have only been able to analyze a few of the things ALE has found, and have been generally given access to the case only when it suits Aruba's PR machine. And by the way, let me uncover a few lies that Aruba has been perpetrating: first, there is nothing in Dutch or Aruban law that prevents the FBI from having much greater access- there is just no precedent for it. No precedence does not equal illegality. Basically, the FBI can have as much access as ALE and the government wants them to have. Second, there is no way that Beth and Dave can challenge the findings of the investigation or the judicial process, not through the Netherlands, not through Aruba, not through any treaty. When the Kalpoes' lawyer said they can appeal to the Hague he LIED. Just remember that when you question the need for a boycott, or why Beth felt this was necessary. I question why the suspects, their lawyers, the ALE, and Aruba's spin machine feels the need to lie and keep changing their stories. Arubans have no right to complain that America doesn't trust them or believe them with this kind of track record.
- failure to search the entire van der Sloot property, only Joran's apartment even though Joran had access to the whole property when Natalee disappeared. His lawyer claims the whole property was searched, but Gerold Dompig said on network TV in the U.S. that a warrant was obtained only for the apartment. So either the suspect's lawyer is lying, or a key ALE official is.
But I guess we Americans are just ignorant of how Dutch law works. I'm just a simple working man but searching the entire property even seems important to me!
- the FBI called the Aruban legal community 'incestuous' meaning that all prosecutors, investigators, judges, and lawyers know each other well (most of them are Dutch too). More than one person (including a Dutch woman living in London) tells me that the Dutch upper classes are elitist and stick up for each other above all else, and given these two facts how can any investigation in Aruba involving a Dutch suspect be impartial and fair without Netherlands supervision? The lack of oversight and accountability is appalling...it eclipses any story of Deep South 'good ole boys' corruption I've ever heard!
-failure to interrogate all of Joran's friends (like Koen Gottenbos, who has access to his father's 22-foot speedboat) until long after Natalee disappeared if at all,
-failure to search all of the properties of all of the suspects (such as Lorenzo van der Sloot van Rijn's Barcadera ranch house, which we know now is a drug lab thanks to PIs),
-(conveniently) failing to obtain search warrants for the entire van der Sloot property, the Kalpoes' car, and several of their friends' vehicles in a timely manner if at all because there was not enough evidence to convince a judge this was necessary. Funny how my Aruban friend 'Natalia' tells me that had the judge been Aruban and not Dutch those outcomes would have been much different. What kind of moron lets the main suspect go just because he wants to go to college?! What kind of idiot doesn't issue a search warrant for the entire property- is there no probable cause in Dutch law? Of course even the most honest judge would have no choice but to let Joran go if the evidence presented toward this was deliberately botched, wouldn't he now?
- why is the Aruban government more concerned with hiring spin doctors like Steve Cohen and that idiot Ruben Trappenburg to lie to the American public and then their own people instead of doing productive things like hiring more investigators and enlisting Dutch agents to make sure the investigation is not being internally sabotaged even now as Americans fear? Do you think that Beth and Dave requested the removal of Karin Janssen, Dennis Jacobs, and Gerold Dompig just for kicks and giggles?
- why is ALE more focused on Natalee's 'physical and emotional state' that finding ways to rearrest the last three people known to be with her? The Arubans seem to think that a lack of evidence proves innocence, but it only proves there is a lack of evidence. Americans are asking why- is it because the three slimebags involved are as innocent as they claim or is it because they had a little help from their daddy's friends in ALE? Why do the Aruban police murmur about the dirty things they know about Beth and Natalee, even though these things are not a bit more credible than our own suspicions about Aruba? As I udnerstand it, blaming the victim is a common sign of guilt in the mind of the guilty. Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear...Arubans, are you afraid?
-Why is supposedly valuable evidence like the Holiday Inn tapes showing Joran and Natalee at the tables released to the news media when doing so voids its use in a Dutch court of law? Again, how convenient is that to Joran? Does ALE have no control over its own people, even? Why isn't ALE investigating this leak immediately...I would think that if they had any real interest in solving this disappearance they would make damn sure things like this don't happen. But I guess that is just another honest 'mistake'...
- Speaking of ALE, why were officers known to be friends of the van der Sloots (like Jan van der Straaten) even allowed to be in charge when there is no possible way they could be trusted with impartiality? Why are officers known to be corrupt and known to have solicited bribes from the Twittys (like Dennis Jacobs) still on the case and still not under investigation themselves? Why does Oduber want to wait until the case is closed and everyone's asses are covered before investigating the investigation itself?
-why is it that every time an Aruban governmental official like Rudy Croes or Nelson Oduber opens their mouths they say things like, "I'm sick and tired of hearing about this" or even worse, threatening to ban Beth from Aruba and arresting her if she comes back (as Rudy Croes did)? That doesn't seem to indicate to me that the Aruban government gives a damn about Natalee, her family, or America's opinion or our business. Why should we Americans keep pouring our money into Aruba if that is how they really feel and how they keep acting? People accuse Beth of being after fame or money but you know what? It has never been about Natalee to the ALE or the Aruban government or the ATA and AHATA...it has always been about the money.
In closing, I am going to present a few of the truths that Aruba faces; like it or not, Aruba, this is how it is right now. Only fully transparent, unquestionable, provable actions (and when I say provable I mean provable to Americans' satisfaction) and results will change any of this now:
1. It doesn't matter what the truth about Aruba or Natalee's disappearance is, what matters is what American think is the truth. Right now, what Americans think is true about Aruba is not good at all...
2. You can and will be held accountable for this in the U.S. No amount of pointing fingers at our own crime rates, protesting about how 'Dutch law is different', accusing the U.S. media of being unfair or blowing this out of proportion, or accusing the U.S. of being arrogant in demanding more that Aruba has provided will sway us. You cannot stop America from questioning everything your investigation does now...the ALE and your governmental politics betrayed our trust long, long ago.
3. As the providers of at least 70% of your economy, we have every right to spend our money elsewhere if we're not happy. We do not owe Aruba anything...in short, you need us far more than we need you. That is not arrogance, that is just the way things are.
4. If any of the assertions I made above are incorrect, prove to us that they are. Every question that remains in Americans' minds, every mistake, broken promise, questionable action, missing piece of evidence, and excuse Aruba makes puts a huge question mark in our minds. The burden of proof might be very heavy on the prosecution in the Dutch system, but in popular opinion the burden of proof is squarely on the accused. As long as questions exist and as long as your government and ALE do not fully explain those occurrences, Americans will doubt you and distrust you. Remember that.
5. There is nothing to prevent Beth, Dave, Joe Mammana, or anyone else dedicated to finding Natalee from smearing Aruba's reputation to the end of their days, justified or not. Walter has admitted to me that Aruba just hopes this will go away in a year or two, but you fail to realize that Beth talks about how unsafe and predator-ridden Aruba is at every school campus she visits as part of her 'Save Yourself' safety campaign. Dave's book (which incidentally calls Aruba corrupt in the title) will be on bookshelves for a long, long time to come. There is no effective time frame on how long Americans will doubt, distrust, and even hate Aruba for failing to find natalee and unduly prolonging her family's suffering.
6. Until you demand more immediate and constant accountability and oversight in this investigation and full FBI inclusion, you have no cause to complain about the 'bad rap' Aruba is getting now. It takes a long time to build a reputation but an instant to destroy it huh? If you truly want the business and goodwill of the U.S. again, then you have to earn it all over again. Like it or not, you have no choice but to find Natalee...if you cannot or will not, then you have no right to complain about this oh-so-unfair treatment.
7. Finally, the Aruban people are not at fault here...the one protest Arubans have that is legitimate is that the three suspects are not even Aruban! The Dutch system of control and their lack of oversight and accountability toward Aruba and especially its cozy, corrupt government is the problem! Aruba, why do you accept and coddle these people who are ultimately allowing all of this to happen? It is time to take a long, hard look at how happy you are under the MEP's and the Netherland's thumb, how confident you are that your government and ALE is not corrupt and elitist, how equitable your society really is between the Dutch and native Arubans, and how badly you want your reputation back. If you cannot do these things, then you have no right to complain about how America views you.
I'm sorry if you don't like to hear these things, but they are the conditions you face now, thanks to months of disappointing us again and again ad nauseum. No arguement that Aruba or the Netherlands or anyone that just plain hates America can change the harsh realities of the situation. Beth, Dave, and Natalee deserve better than this, and so do the Aruban people.
posted by Dan in Tx | 8:49 AM
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26 comments
