Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Punishing Honduras: Why?

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While the U.S. cuddles with various enemies: we punish Israel and we punish Honduras
Participants in those talks say Dan Restrepo, senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council, let slip that the U.S. interest had to do with American politics. The Republicans, he said, were using the administration's support for Mr. Zelaya, an ally of Venezuelan Hugo Chávez, against the Democrats. It's not going to work, Mr. Restrepo is said to have informed the other negotiators, because "we have the power" and would be keeping it for a long time.
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Four months after a presidential election, reports from Honduras suggest the Obama administration remains obsessed with repairing its foreign-policy image by regaining the upper hand. The display of raw colonialist hubris is so pronounced that locals now refer to U.S. ambassador Hugo Llorens as "the proconsul."

Washington's bullying is two-pronged. First is a maniacal determination to punish those involved in removing Mr. Zelaya. Second is an attempt to force Honduras to allow Mr. Zelaya, who now lives in the Dominican Republic, to return without facing any repercussions for the illegal actions that provoked his removal. Both goals are damaging the bilateral relationship, polarizing the nation and raising the risk of a resurgence of political violence.

If Zelaya returns and Honduras prosecutes him for trying to install himself as dictator for life: the Obama Administration will be further exposed as having been on the wrong side of this issue.

The Honduras miscalculations easily typify the weaknesses of both the President and his administration. Honduras was an easy call for even a mediocre POTUS. Obama didn't measure up to even that standard. He blew it. Then, rather than minimize the damage and move on (which would have been best for both Honduras and the U.S.A.), Obama has now spent 10 months trying to regain control of the narrative via bullying and punishing Honduras. Laughably inept. Detestably despicable.

More at the link.



Related: La Gringa's Blogicito

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2 comments:

Paul_In_Houston said...

This is beyond fanaticism; it is the response of a spoiled, bullying child.

It is "How DARE you embarrass me?! I'm going to REALLY make you pay for that!".

At least, a grown-up fanatic would probably know when to hold them, and also know when to fold them and move on.

After 14 months of him, he continues to exceed my worst expectations of him.

I can just see him in 2012, if he loses, challenging the results (even if he loses in all 57 states).

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gcotharn said...

Well, if it helps, I predict he will not run in 2012. National circumstances will worsen, and it will be obvious that he cannot win. Besides, I doubt Barack enjoys work and responsibility - even if that work and responsibility is attached to such an office as POTUS. Barack is more like the nation's party guest: he likes to sweep in, make pronouncements in imperious fashion, then sweep out.