Zbigniew Brzezinski, the former National Security Advisor under President Jimmy Carter, talked about Haiti with Fareed Zakaria on CNN's GPS this Sunday. He gives one of the most serious foreign policy answers to the question of: How does one handle Haiti?

After the tens of millions of dollars have made its way to Port au Prince, what is to be done? UN Special Envoy Bill Clinton, clearly, has the gravitas, but there are so many players, like the EU and various Latin American countries with their own agendas and a limited number of ports of entry. This is the sort of international reconstruction project that dwarfs even Clinton's formidable energies. Haiti is coming out of over 200 years of superhuman cruelty -- colonialism and neocolonialism -- at the hands of the West. That, and the lack of fundamental civic institutions in place makes me skeptical about whether or not: a) the bulk of the monies being raised will be put to the most effective use and, b) that some long-term structural improvements will be made to the country, so as to stave off similar incidents happening when -- not if -- the next natural disaster occurs.

"I think we ought to have some arrangement involving the U.N., which perhaps could create some accommodation with the Haitian government, allowing for a form of transitional, international trusteeship for the recovery of Haiti," said Dr. Brzezinski. "This will take a very major international effort. The United States, of course, will have to take the lead in it in terms of putting resources into it. But I would think other countries -- particularly Latin American countries, even Central American countries -- ought to be heavily involved."

Bashing the United Nations was a spectator sport in the era of neoconservatism. Now, however, the indispensability of the United Nations -- especially in the case of international disasters -- is powerfully evident. Dr. Brzezinski mentions that Haiti might be put into a United Nations receivership until it recovered. East Timor, which is now something of a success story, was once a UN receivership -- under legendary Brazilian diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello -- and it was a good thing. Dr. Brzezinski is optimistic -- as am I -- about the human capital of Haitians once they are ensconced in stable countries and are given a fair chance at achievement.

"You know, it's rather remarkable the way the Haitian communities perform in America," said "Zbig." "And there have been some studies of that. And they show that the Haitian communities, given the right opportunity, thrive, and are very dynamic and very creative. They have, actually, a kind of tradition of self-development, which is rather impressive.

"I think, if the framework for that country could be, somehow or other, improved through international assistance, through some transitional arrangements which permit some U.N. supervision, I think the human capital in Haiti could help to recover and overcome the kind of obstacles and tragedies that the Haitian people have had inflicted upon them -- either by nature or by poor, oppressive, corrupt governments."