The Honduran Presidency

[emo_snal]

   The more I think about it (and I do think about it because I'm a political science nerd like that) the more I think the recent ousting of the president of Honduras is NOT a condemnable coup d'etat but exactly what was supposed to happen

Comments

[guabili]

I really resent the MSM not specifying that this was not a military-led action but a military-enforced government response to blatant efforts to usurp the Constitution.

Since it happened I've just been watching this domino effect with the media and governments falling all over each other to condemn the coup, because what, someone else did first, and really loudly? It's ridiculous. I was incredibly disappointed at Obama's response. We've faced far more complicated situations; there's a diplomatic way to say that while we favor impeachment procedures when possible, the coup appears totally legitimate. Either way, he's got to know that Zelaya hates us and always will. So I don't know who he's trying to pander to.

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[king_richard]

I've been vaguely following whats going on through the NZ political blogs. A couple of days ago Kiwiblog {a rightwing blog} came to more or less the same conclusions as you have: http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/06/a_justified_coup.html... )

Right & Left

[emo_snal]

So I read those two blogs, and keeping in mind I'm in the centre of the political spectrum ... the leftist one just seemed like an unintelligent cookie cutter rant. It's only justification for ITS position was "he was popularly elected" and ... well he just shoves in there an unsupported assumption that everyone in support of the ousting was the "rich old ruling class." ... an argument which would seem to run into some serious problems considering the president's own party supported the oustering. Additionally the leftist blogger attacks the constitution itself as if it never should have said the president can't aspire to two terms. In conclusion, the leftist blogger is a miserable journalist. d:

I recall the Fijian coup in that it happened, but I didn't actually follow it closely (or if I did I ahve since forgotten all the details).

Re: Right & Left

[king_richard]

In conclusion, the leftist blogger is a miserable journalist. d

Re: Right & Left

[emosnail]

Oi. That sounds pretty fubar. A news headline came up that the Organization of American States has issued an ultimatum for Zelaya to be reinstated, which prompted me to make a facebook status update about my consternation. I immediately got jumped on by two poli sci friends who were in support of Zelaya.

One of them stated "p.s. and that a military coup in a democratic society is never excusable." .. which frankly I don't agree with. Heads of state can be EVERY bit as corrupt as any other element of government, and often the ONLY people in a position to counter them is the military. Granted the military can of course also be corrupt, but the military is also just as likely as anyone else to be upright. After all a lot of very rule oriented patriotic people join the military.

I think the idea that military enforcement of who is the head of state is always bad is totally pigheaded and as I mentioned in my entry flies in the face of the idea of checks and balances.