Monday, November 2, 2009

An update on Obama´s Chavez-style "smart diplomacy" in Honduras via POWIP



An update to this post.

Last summer’s action in Honduras, and some of the shameful acts by our own State Department and the Obama administration has been an on-going topic here at POWIP; most recently with Dan recounting the latest reports that Zelaya would be re-seated as President. But as Otto Reich observes at “The Corner” that may be an oversimplification of the upcoming process:

Contrary to press reports, Zelaya is not in any way automatically returned to office by the accord. First, there must be a vote by the entire Honduran congress on whether Zelaya is fit to return to office. Prior to that, the Honduran supreme court, which ruled against Zelaya in June by a vote of 15 to 0, must issue an opinion on the same.

He also points out that this very same arrangement could have been agreed to months ago except for the ideologues at the NSC and the White House’s increasingly apparent inability to admit when they make a mistake. Reich also relates concerns that Chavez will get involved trying to buy support for Zelaya in an effort to get him reseated; and in doing so be able to intimidate his [Chavez's] opponents as well as claim a victory of sorts. Kind of like the President is hoping he’ll be able to do with the Obamacare bill.

It’s funny, isn’t it, that the President and Chavez would use similar tactics? Funny strange, not funny ha-ha. I guess it’s that vaunted Smart Power! we heard so much about.

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