Honduras to OAS: Pound sand
Captain Ed Morrissey has a great piece up at Hot Air about the situation in Honduras. Money quote:
If Cuba belongs in the OAS, then Honduras belongs as well, and on their own terms. If the OAS and the Obama administration want to defend democracy, they should stop isolating the democracy that fumbled the legal and justifiable removal of a renegade executive and focus on the dictatorship in Havana.
This moron wants to return Sunday with other leaders. He's only bringing his friends to avoid any arrest.
I don't expect to get an answer, but this is the letter I wrote to the author of Reading Lolita in Tehran. I was curious how she is reacting to events in Iran:
Dear Azar Nafisi,
Our book group read and discussed your book and I have read some of your other writings. Many of the things you have said interest me. And I have often quoted your affirmation that everyone craves freedom. I especially use it, often to no avail, when people try to tell me that we have no right to intervene in other countries because they have different cultures and the people there can't understand the way we live and it is arrogant of us to think we should be imposing our ideas of freedom on them. You get the idea. This is a constant source of frustration for me. I have no wish to impose clones of our system on anyone. But I do believe that no one, except a fellow traveler to a tyrant could desire to live under a tyrant, with no hope of living with free will. There is a certain condescension, a kind of racism, I think, in the attitude of those who think that it isn't true that everyone wants to be free. That is what I thought you were trying to bring out. But when I say this myself to others, I am often shut down or mocked.
That said I should like to get your response to my thoughts about current events. I know you are too busy to write, but I wanted to try anyway.
Much of what is going on disturbs me. It also thrills me, but it disturbs me.
When the Iranians filled the streets after the recent "election" results were announced, I was so proud of them for their courage. I knew what was in store for them if they failed. So when Obama decided the U.S. shouldn't be seen as "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iran because it would play right into the Mullahs' hands, I was decidedly disturbed with him. And when Hillary seconded that, I was depressed. If I had my druthers, I would have preferred a strong statement immediately in support of the freedom loving Iranians. Then when the Mullahs started knocking heads, killing and imprisoning to hold on to their power, I would have liked to see the U.N. forcing the issue with isolation of Iran and strong sanctions. At least this would give moral support to the brave people of Iran. By Obama waiting until too late to protest, the Iranians still call it all the fault of the U.S.A. and the west, so Obama didn't accomplish what he wanted by his hands off policy. And now, the Iranians, isolated and fighting on their own, are getting the "treatment" from the Mullahs. I am so depressed about all of this.
For a president who brags that he doesn't want to meddle, he has no problem giving orders to Israel, the free country where Arabs have more liberty than in any other country in the M.E., he has no problem pushing for travel to Cuba and is pleased that Cuba is now accepted into the OAS - Cuba where prisoners languish in jail for free speech and thought, where no one has freedom to travel, use the internet, have a free press, and where no Cuban has the problem of overeating - that Cuba has the government Obama wants to help out. And for a president who doesn't like to meddle, he has no problem ordering free Hondurans who are using their constitution and balance of powers to keep their democracy from being destroyed by a would be Marxist tyrant who is being aided by Chavez, Castro, and Ortega, in changing the rules in Honduras. Obama ordered Hondurans to reinstate this future Chavez. And the best is he brags that the OAS is ordering the Hondurans to do likewise.
You may have respect and hope for our president. As you can see I don't. He always seems to choose the side of the tyrant over those fighting for freedom.
This letter doesn't request that you tell me your political views. My wishful thinking is for some validation of my thoughts here from the author of the remark that everyone craves freedom.
1. If Chavez invaded or armed the pro Zelaya crowd, could Nicaragua on their own repel them?
2. In the instance above would the U.S. step in to stop the conflict, or knowing Obama join Chavez?
Per the above post - replace Nicaragua with Honduras. Still a little hung over from last night ;o)
Mo; the Hondurans were very effective in terminating a Marxist insurgency in the 80's, but confronting aggressive civil disobedience would be a much more difficult matter. I can assure you that Chavez and the Cubans are already planning their activities in-country. They've had operatives there for a few years and will certainly make a move if Zelaya is not restored soon.
If the current Honduran government has to violently put down demonstrations, I doubt very seriously that Obama will condone it, and will probably initiate even harsher constraints against Honduras. I'm sure Chavez and the Castro's know that and will exploit it to their favor.
The Hondurans are in a very difficult situation. They have virtually all of Marxist-dominated Latin America against them, plus a US government headed by a fellow-traveler. We can only hope, that in spite of the odds, they'll remain strong and will not cave in under pressure. I sense there may be a face-saving measure under discussion whereby Zelaya returns, but is immediately impeached and tossed out. The coming days will certainly be interesting.
Mambi I agree and would hope so.
However WHAT IF the only two options were ...
#1 - Have Zelaya save face and return to finish out his term till January, have the refendum dropped, and then have his opposition vote in their own guy.
#2 - a long drawn out conflict, where the Marxists armed by Chavez and Raul come out victorious as the U.S. under Obama does nothing to assist the Honduran govt.
As much as I hate option # 1 ... it would be far better than # 2.
There is a third option, but it would take a miracle with these guys in Washington in control.
Keep things the way they are with the Hondurans in the right and hope that when the world sees outsiders causing bloodshed, perhaps enough freedom lovers could raise the conscience of the world to favor the Hondurans and maybe even Obama would climb aboard because he would see the way the wind was blowing.
As I said that would take a miracle. But sometimes they do happen.
It's going to be a quite a challenge - lets keep our fingers crossed.