Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Defend Democracy -- In Honduras, that should mean more than restoring the president to office
Washington Post ^ | June 30, 2009

Posted on 06/30/2009 6:24:00 AM PDT by La Lydia

The arrest and deportation of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the country's military Sunday was wrong and should be reversed. Quite possibly, it will be: Facing the united condemnation of governments in the Americas, and under heavy pressure from the United States -- on which Honduras depends for aid, free trade and remittances from workers -- those who deposed Mr. Zelaya may not hold out for long. If their goal is, as they declare, to defend the country's democracy, they will have a better chance of doing so if they allow the president to return...

The Obama administration, however, shouldn't limit itself to reversing the military's foolish intervention....

...this was not a 1960s-style Latin American coup in which an authoritarian military toppled popular democrats. Until Sunday, it was Mr. Zelaya who was attempting to undermine democratic institutions...the Honduran president had lately fallen under the spell of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In an attempt to follow Mr. Chávez's example, he was trying to summon an assembly to rewrite the constitution...

Congress opposed his attempt to hold a referendum, and the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. Yet Mr. Zelaya persisted, trying -- reportedly with Mr. Chávez's material support -- to organize an unofficial poll. When the army commander in chief refused to assist in this effort, the president fired him; the Supreme Court found that unconstitutional as well.

The military's intervention may have the unintended effect of saving Mr. Zelaya....the Obama administration should not limit itself to seeking Mr. Zelaya's return to office. It should also speak out more clearly about the abuses that prompted his removal -- abuses that are taking place in other Latin American countries.... What requires political courage -- and U.S. leadership -- is confronting the forces that brought Honduras to this breaking point.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: communism; honduras; latinamerica; obama; zelaya
Washington Post is spectacularly unclear on the concept, while trying to have it both ways.
1 posted on 06/30/2009 6:24:00 AM PDT by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

The Army’s intervention was actually a counter-coup. The way I understand it, Zelayu’s supporters, following his orders, had broken in to the place where the ballots for his proposed ‘referendum’ were being kept with the intention of distributing them and conducting the ‘referendum’. That’s the main reason why the army was ordered to act by the supreme court.


2 posted on 06/30/2009 6:28:57 AM PDT by Ikemeister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia
"The arrest and deportation of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the country's military Sunday was wrong and should be reversed."

Obortion and his Commie dictator kindred spirits are really down with "meddling"-with the help of their respective state run medias, of course- when it's one of their own who is threatened.

3 posted on 06/30/2009 6:29:09 AM PDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American (E)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ikemeister
"The way I understand it, Zelayu’s supporters, following his orders, had broken in to the place where the ballots for his proposed ‘referendum’ were being kept with the intention of distributing them and conducting the ‘referendum’. That’s the main reason why the army was ordered to act by the supreme court."

I'm sure Obortion is going to be schooling Zelayu on "community organizing" to avoid such sloppiness in the future.

4 posted on 06/30/2009 6:31:22 AM PDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American (E)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

Who writes this tripe?


5 posted on 06/30/2009 6:33:48 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

An anonymous editorial writer.


6 posted on 06/30/2009 6:34:40 AM PDT by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

“An anonymous editorial writer.”

Had to be Maureen Dowd. Maureen Dowd? Anyone? Bueller?


7 posted on 06/30/2009 6:43:38 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Climate change alarmists are Warm-Mongers. Now that's funny right there. I don't care who you are.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia
It wasn't so long ago -- 1950's, 1960's, 1970's -- when both parties would unite to defeat socialism in the Latin Americas.

But today, Democrats ENCOURAGE socialism. And this Democrat president both embraces and defends socialist leaders.

8 posted on 06/30/2009 6:48:13 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Too sick for words!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz

Maureen Dowd works for the New York Times. Could be Colbert King or any of the other libtards on their editorial staff.


9 posted on 06/30/2009 6:48:19 AM PDT by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

That’s what struck me too. What a confusing mass of tripe. Confused writing = confused thinking.

The big lie in it is that the army acted on its own. Not true. They were acting under legal orders from Congress and the SCourt.


10 posted on 06/30/2009 6:48:30 AM PDT by DManA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DManA

Confused thinking = unable to distinguish between right a wrong. This has long been a problem with the Washington Post.


11 posted on 06/30/2009 6:49:33 AM PDT by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson