WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- President George W. Bush orderedon Sunday the deployment of US Marines to Haiti to prevent rebelsfrom grabbing power after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned and left the country.

    "I have ordered the deployment of Marines as the leading element of an interim international force to help bring order andstability to Haiti," Bush told reporters at the White House.

    Aristide, the first freely elected president of country, has resigned in a letter of resignation before departing Port-au-Prince early Sunday morning.

    State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said earlier in a statement that Aristide's decision to leave the country "resolves the political impasse that is the root of the violent unrest in Haiti in recent weeks," adding that "the United States will deploya contingent of US Marines as the initial contingent of a multinational interim force."

    He also said that several other countries are the poised to move quickly to join the mission.

    Meanwhile, there were reports saying that a 500-strong Marine force was ready to leave for Haiti by air as early as Sunday to help refugee repatriation by the Coast Guard at one or more Haitian ports.

    The US government's intention was to await an agreement to be worked out by the State Department and the Haitian government before issuing the order to deploy, local press quoted official assaying. Enditem