well, let me cynically suggest at least one "economic advantage"...
The government of a country within boat reach of Florida falls apart and people start starving and the exodus towards the shores of America by Haitians reaches epidemic proportions...
But this is just wild speculation.
Look... I'm not saying all military adventures by the US are economically driven. But lots of them probably are. I'm naturally suspicious of them at this point and I think with good reason. Besides, I don't care for the massive expense and think it inefficient and generally unnecessary at current levels.
You're going to stand by that statement? You think America sent the Marines and all of the aid workers there to make sure that we wouldn't get more Haitians in the USA?
Wow. That's probably the MOST racist thing I've seen posted on HN to date.
For the life of me, I can't imagine what economic interest we had there.
I know because a good friend ended up killing himself after witnessing the human tragedy there. He was a Marine pilot.