Jennifer Rubin discusses the success of the Honduran elections today at Commentary Magazine.
Ironically, the Honduran interim government wound up isolating the Obami — not the other way around. They smartly made their case to Republicans in Congress (”They won support from a handful of Republicans, who held up diplomatic appointments, weakening the State Department’s Latin America team”) and pushed forward with the only feasible solution — free and fair elections. Eventually the Obami were forced to back down: “As the crisis dragged on, U.S. diplomats got both sides to agree in October to allow the Honduran Congress to decide on Zelaya’s restoration. Until the end, Washington publicly supported his return. But after many delays, lawmakers finally voted Wednesday — no.”
There is a lesson there for small democracies. If they abide by democratic principles, sustain a united front domestically, and refuse to accede to the arrogance of Foggy Bottom and the White House, they can control their own destiny. (Hmm, seems to also have worked out in Israel.) That it should require such a Herculean effort to resist the strong-arming tactics of the United States is sobering and distressing.
Gabriel Malor at Ace of Spades has more on the Honduran people’s victory over their Chavez-wannabe and the socialist tyrant’s supporters in the Obama Administration.
Sobering, distressing, heartbreaking, and infuriating. The President of the United States was helping to overturn a free and democratic government for no other reason than he wanted to help a socialist Chavista. This should be the blackest mark on Obama’s record so far (though by no means is it the sole count against him). But, hoo-hum, the Left and the legacy media (BIRM) just look right past it.
Well said.
