Flee Haiti, Americans told

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — President Jean-Bertrand Aristide declared Thursday he is ready to die to defend his country against a bloody rebellion, indicating he plans to cling to power. The U.S. government, citing continued violence, urged Americans to leave Haiti.

Aristide's defiance and Washington's warning came as the United States and other countries were preparing a political plan to resolve the crisis. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the plan could be presented today to Haitian government and opposition leaders.

The Pentagon said it was sending a small military team to assess the security of the U.S. Embassy and its staff in the Caribbean country.

The last major government bastion in northern Haiti was Cap-Haitien, where armed supporters of Aristide patrolled the city Thursday, vowing to fight any rebel attempt to seize control. Frightened police remained barricaded in their station, saying they were too few and poorly armed to repel any attack. Both sides have committed reprisal killings, and dozens of homes have been torched.

"I am ready to give my life if that is what it takes to defend my country," Aristide told stony-faced police officers honoring slain comrades at a ceremony in Port-au-Prince, the capital in the south.

"If wars are expensive, peace can be even more expensive," warned Aristide, who has survived three assassination attempts and a coup.

Amid the chaos, the United States urged Americans to leave Haiti. More than 20,000 Americans, at least a quarter of them missionaries, are registered with the U.S. Embassy.

Eighteen missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have been serving in sections of northern Haiti have been moved to Port-au-Prince, the capital, according to Haiti Port-au-Prince LDS Mission President Curtis L. Giles. There are more than 11,000 LDS Church members in Haiti, he said.

Peace Corps personnel also were being withdrawn, and other U.S. citizens should leave while commercial transportation is still available, the State Department said.

"American citizens should be aware that the U.S. Embassy has prohibited travel by its staff outside of Port-au-Prince," the warning said.

It added that the embassy's ability to provide emergency services to American citizens outside the capital city was limited and had "drastically decreased in recent days due to numerous random roadblocks set up by armed groups."