UN condemns Honduras coup-June 30, 2009
Democracy Now! - 7/06/09 - Honduran Regime Blocks Zelaya's Return July 6,2009
Situation on the ground in Honduras:
Honduras police, soldiers enforcing curfew by Associated Press, July 6,2009
Police and soldiers blanketed the streets of the capital early Monday - enforcing a sunset-to-sunrise curfew with batons and metal poles. Officials closed the country's main airport to all flights for 24 hours starting Monday morning.
...Critics feared Zelaya might try to extend his rule and cement presidential power in ways similar to what his ally Chavez has done in Venezuela – though Zelaya denied that.
But instead of prosecuting him or trying to defeat him at the ballot box, masked soldiers flew the president out of the country at gunpoint, and Congress installed Micheletti in his place.
The military solution drew international condemnation, and Honduras was suspended by the OAS. Many called the coup a huge step backward for democracy, and no nation has recognized the new government. President Barack Obama has united with Chavez and conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in insisting on Zelaya's return.
A Few Facts About the Honduran Military Coup
By Ken Silverstein July 06, 2009 "Harpers Magazine" at Information Clearing House
# Zelaya was not seeking to stay in power by unconstitutional means; even if his political reforms had succeeded, he would have been out of power within the year. The only side guilty of unconstitutional action is the coup plotters.
# Based on his response to events in Honduras, Barack Obama may as well be Ronald Reagan or George Bush when it comes to coups in Latin America. The Obama administration initially managed to muster “concern” about the coup, and has been acting in a cowardly fashion ever since. The only reason it has moved at all was that it was forced by the united front by Latin governments of left and right. If Zelaya is returned to power, it won’t be because of anything Obama did.
# The American media does not believe in democracy, as seen in the routine portrayal of a [moral equivalence between the elected government and the coup plotters]. The Washington Post is the worst of the pack. For its editorial page, “democracy” is strictly utilitarian; it’s OK when our side wins; otherwise, we will justify vote-rigging or military action by the other side, even while pretending we support constitutional order.
IN the case of the Honduran Coup once again Obama's response to a crisis is rather tepid & overly cautious . Since the OAS & UN have condemned the coup & no single country has recognized the supposedly new government there seems no reason for Obama's stance. Obama has not even recalled the US ambassador or cut off military aid to Honduras.
Obama's supporters would certainly favor or at least would not object that he condemn the coup & it would help to improve America's image in Latin America so who is Obama trying to appease? He claims he wants America to move away from undermining Democratically elected governments which are no threat to the US. So what's he up to? Is he still trying to make nice with the Republican Party & Conservatives who intend to criticize him no matter what he does ? Or is it the Hawkish Democrats with whom he has surrounded himself who are advising him not to make a definitive statement about the situation in Honduras ?
By not acting Obama is risking his reputation in Latin America as he has done with his lack of forceful response to other issues such as the Israeli blockade of Gaza or his unwillingness to investigate the very real crimes of the Bush Regime or his caving in on issues such as Health Care or on questions on Gay Rights such as the Don't Ask Don't Tell is this all part of a pattern ?
In the case of Honduras one wonders if the US Embassy or some covert CIA operation was at least in part aiding & abetting those who took part in the coup. As some have suggested the US Embassy may have been aware of plans for a coup well before it occurred and yet at the very least could have warned President Zelaya. This may seem like idle speculation but given America's & the CIA's history in Latin America this would not be that surprising.
Honduran Violence, US Aid Tests Obama's Global Image New America Media by Roberto Lovato, JUly 6, 2009 (TruthOut.org)
The Obama Administration has chosen to respond to the crisis in a manner that will signify little to millions watching the bloodshed taking place in Honduras; While nobody in the hemisphere wants the return of the actions of the Bush era, many already believe that the Obama Administration's inactions mean that the "new" or fundamental "change" Obama promised during his also widely-viewed Summit of the Americas speech last April adds up to little more than this: more militarismo, but with a smile.
For example, rather than officially declare and denounce the Honduras putsch as a "coup", which would, among other things, trigger a cutoff of military and other aid, the Obama Administration has instead chosen the symbolic act of suspending joint military operations.
In a region where U.S. military aid, U.S. military training and U.S. political support for dictatorships responsible for killing, torturing and disappearing millions are at the heart of why Obama needed urgently to signal a "new" U.S. policy, Obama's continued "Si Se Puede" (Yes We Can) to continued military aid for such human rights violation-plagued governments as those of Colombia, Mexico and Honduras will only tarnish his and the U.S.' image in the region.
The President's inability or unwillingness to call for an immediate
suspension of U.S. military aid is already raising questions about the motives and role of Obama Administration operatives like Hugo Llorens, the current U.S. Ambassador to Honduras.
The Neocons & conservatives in the US media including the Washington Post & the Wall Street Journal & Conservative Media Echo-Chamber as usual are once again on the side of the generals. They of course backed every bloody coup which took place in Latin America or in the Middle East or anywhere where American interests were at stake or where the Communist Bogeyman was seen in every attempt by any country to seek justice & freedom for its own people without giving away a large part of their natural resources or its labor to American Corporations. So in order to stop the communist threatthese conservatives shed no tears for the thousands of innocent people who were arrested, tortured, murdered or disappeared.
And so these conservative hacks continue to push their lies about Zelaya erroneously claiming that according to them Zelaya is a radical Communist and is corrupt & was denying Hondurans their freedom & that Zelaya wanted to set himself as dictator for life. Their is no proof of any of this yet the right wing media repeats these claims over & over again while attacking Obama for not definitively standing with them & against President Zelaya.
Meanwhile the other thing to note is that it seems the Neocons & conservatives & their Media Frontmen & Women who are trying to build a case for ousting President Obama by one means or another.They have called Obama a socialist with a hidden radical agenda & that his stimulus packages etc are in fact a betrayal of American ideals or that his policies have weakened the US economy & US security & that Obama's ideology is UnAmerican or that somehow or other he stole the election or was not born in America (the Birthers). When you toss this sort of rhetoric out to the public on a daily basis the consequences could be dire indeed & unthinkable but the spokespersons of the right such as Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity ,Michael Savage, Bill Kristol, Ralph Reed, Charles Krauthammer et al believe it is their "Constitutional Right" to flame the flames of hate & fear & ultimately violence.
Are they sending up a trial balloon to see if they can get any traction for their desire to replace Obama. The hatred and anger on the right seems to be feeding on itself & just getting worse til finally there may be a "Tipping Point" of more violence on the right or an insurrection or a civil war or coup.
Kirsten Powers & Sean Hannity & Ralph Reed Think Honduras Right to Oust Zelaya?!
Limbaugh suggests that a similar ousting should take place in the US but with less violence.
Limbaugh on Honduran coup: "The coup was what many of you wish would happen here, without the military"
June 29, 2009 at Media Matters
Rush Limbaugh shares his opinion that Obama is somewhat authoritarian & wishes to serve beyond 2016
Rush: Obama relates to Dictators-July 1, 2009
Michael Savage compares the president Zelaya of Honduras to President Obama. Savage & Dennis Prager & other Neocons & conservatives believe Obama is a communist who has a radical agenda to change America into a communist nation. So is Savage & others suggesting at some point that the American people or the American military will have to rise up to replace President Obama.
Michael Savage chimes in & compares Obama to Chavez, Castro & Zelaya & doe not wish any of them well.
Michael Savage - Obama, Hillary Support Honduras Dictator -
Side with Chavez and CastroMichael Savage - June 30,2009
Charles Krauthammer on Obama Defending Honduras' Dictator/Chavez Wannabe- June 30, 2009
also see for a conservative view on Honduras Coup & Obama & The Evil Progressive Movement at :
The Conservative Fun House Vidcast with james Wright and Damon Rexroad at Mevio
Related articles:
also see BBC News Video:"Honduras 'to stop ousted leader's plane' " July 5, 1990 at YOUTUBE :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWzUaNG8Xow
"Honduran Leader's Populism Is What Provoked Military Violence"By Benjamin Dangl, AlterNet. July 1, 2009.
"In Right-Wing Bizarro World Military Coups Are the Embodiment of Democracy!" by Brad Reed, Sadly, No! at AlterNet.orgJuly 1, 2009.
"OAS Without Dissent Suspends Honduras Over Zelaya Ouster" By Lesley Clark and Laura Figueroa | McClatchy Newspapers
"Honduras 'to block' Zelaya return" at Media With A conscience July 05, 2009
Honduras "to Stop Zelaya Plane" 05 July 2009 @ BBC News & Truthout.org
"Pro-Coup Government and Allies Pushing Agenda Forward at Citizens Rights Expense" from School of The Americas Watch July 3, 2009
"Honduras Defends Its Democracy Fidel Castro and Hillary Clinton object." Wall Street Journal Editorial, June 29, 2009
also see my other related posts on American Backed Coups:
Saturday, September 13, 2008 Chile The Other 9/11: US Backed Coup Murders & Tortures Thousands gordspoetryfactory
Monday, November 10, 2008
Obama Could Use Iran-Contra Hearings & investigation as a Precedent And The Bush & Co. Swindle Continues : $140 Billion Handed out to Bank gordspoetryfactory
& Sunday, September 14, 2008
American Myths & Delusions of Racial Superiority & Empire gordspoetryfactory
Friday, May 09, 2008
UPDATE:Cuban Exiles Honor Terrorist & Murderer Posada Carriles For Blowing up Cuban Passenger Plane
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Tribute to Salvadore Allende with Music by Quilapayun
Saturday, March 29, 2008
American Empire and the Film " WE " Suzanne Arundhati Roy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
American Myths of Freedom and Justice for All & Building An Empire
Monday, March 03, 2008
VICTOR JARA-CHILEAN MARTYR /POET/MUSICIAN / POLITICAL FOLK ARTIST
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
PHIL OCHS PABLO NERUDA & SALVADOR ALLENDE
Monday, January 15, 2007
INTI-ILLIMANI & QUILAPAYUN CONTROVERSIAL CHILEAN MUSICAL GROUPS : MUSIC FOR MUSIC LOVERS DISSIDENTS & REVOLUTIONARIES
and so it goes,
GORD.
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