Why should we be surprised that Obama takes forever to condemn the brutal Iranian dictatorship's crackdown on Iranian citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest--but when it comes to the Honduran constitution, Obama comes down against the Honduran government exercising its constitutional authority of impeaching and removing the President? Knee-jerk reaction, no hesitation--and intentionally misleading the American people on the nature of the so-called coup. President Obama loves to cite "the rule of law"--only when it's convenient to his point of view.
What Obama, Clinton and others are trying to do is to confuse the American people between the means of the Honduras military in removing former President Zelaya from office with a unilateral military coup of a sitting President. They want the American people to believe the latter is true. THE MILITARY DID NOT INITIATE THE "COUP": It followed action by the Honduran Congress and the Honduran Supreme Court.
What Obama and others won't tell you is that Zelaya "was removed legally by the courts and Congress for violating Honduras' constitution and attempting to extend his own rule." What Obama further won't tell you is that new President Roberto Micheletti was the Honduran Congressional president from Zelaya's own Liberal Party, whom opposed Zelaya's illegal attempt to extend his Presidency beyond one term.
The Real Story
Zelaya essentially wanted a blank check constitutional referendum, hyping it to the nation's poor saying that the constitution was biased against them and it needed to be changed. One of the changes opponents expected was to allow for his reelection (for life?) beyond the constitutional limit of a single term, expiring within a few months: "The congress, the supreme court and the country's attorney general say that clauses in the constitution preclude certain changes being made to it, and that a referendum is therefore illegal." (The supreme court noted that relevant initiatives are illegal within 6 months of an election.) Zelaya fired General Vasquez, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for refusing to support the referendum; the other military chiefs resigned in protest. When the supreme court ordered Vasquez reinstated, Zelaya refused. Zelaya had ballots shipped in from Venezuela (headed by Chavez) and intended to hold the election via his supporters, outside of the lawful constitutional process.
Here is how Zelaya responded the day after the congress ordered an investigation into his mental state:
Congress cannot investigate me, much less remove me or stage a technical coup against me because I am honest, I'm a free president and nobody scares me. You have declared war against me. Now face the consequences.
I think it's clear that the congress had the evidence it needed straight from the horse's mouth. Now, Obama, repeat after me: "rule of law."
By any objective standard, the aspiring dictator Zelaya clearly considered himself above the law and abused his authority. Obama's attempts to meddle in Honduran internal affairs, demanding restoration of an impeached and removed President, are unconscionable. Apparently Obama can't distinguish between fascist mobs in Honduras from the democratic resistance to Iran's brutal theocratic dictatorship. Let me put it in terms maybe Obama can understand: the common thread is tyranny--tyranny of an unelected theocracy in Iran and the tyranny of populists in Honduras whom disregard the rule of law.
Obama has made a habit of apologizing to other nations for alleged American mistakes; well, I only think in turn it's time for Americans to start apologizing to other countries for Obama's mistakes. Let me start by apologizing to the new, lawful President of Honduras, Roberto Micheletti, for Obama's meddling, disrespect and disregard for Honduran law.
