I like this. Republicans Senators want answers.
“The complexity of events that led up to the Honduran crisis has given rise to questions regarding U.S. policy,” Senator Richard Lugar, one of the Senate’s most respected voices on foreign policy, wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The United States has refused to recognize the Honduran government led by Roberto Micheletti, which took over the Central American nation after President Manuel Zelaya was ousted by the Honduran military on June 28.
Lugar told Clinton he shared her support for mediation by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias in the month-old dispute over whether Zelaya should be allowed to return to his post.
But he also appealed to the State Department to provide a detailed clarification of U.S. policy to “interested Members” — an apparent reference to several of his fellow Republicans, who charge Washington is trying to reinstate a left-wing government in Honduras.
Because of U.S. support for Zelaya, conservative Republican Senator Jim DeMint has threatened to delay a Senate vote on the nomination of Arturo Valenzuela to be assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, the senior diplomat in charge of Latin America at the State Department.
“I request that the Department provide interested Members a detailed clarification of the steps that it has taken, and intends to take, in response to the events that transpired in the run-up to and period after the forced removal of President Manuel Zelaya from Honduras,” Lugar wrote to Clinton.
The Senators no doubt want to know why we’re so dead set upon reinstating an anti-American, anti-Democratic, leftist Chavista instead of supporting the Honduran constitution. Lugar was being kind…the events leading up to this crisis were not too complex to understand. The fact of the matter is, the Obama administration has taken the wrong side. And the reinstatement of an undemocratic dictator would have terrible repercussions for Hondurans.
Washington has cut $16.5 million in aid to Honduras and revoked visas for four members of Micheletti’s administration, but the would be dictator Zelaya, is still pressuring Obama to do more:
“We will ask the U.S. government to step up the pressure on Micheletti,” Zelaya’s ambassador told Reuters.
UPDATE:
The NYTs reports:
Several people were wounded, one shot in the head, and 100 arrested.
Protesters were videotaped carrying long sticks and pick axes. I remember someone tweeting awhile back, about Zelaya supporters with pick axes and I didn’t believe it. I’ve been scouring youtube for video. Found this from today:
Translation of info accompanying video:
THE IMAGES ARE STRONG I DO NOT ACCEPT THE VIOLENCE WITH WHICH THE POLICE ACT, BUT THESE DEMONSTRATORS DO NOT DO IT PEACEFULLY AND THERE ARE PERSONS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT IN HONDURAS IT FINDS A BLOOD BATH. FROM MY HUMBLE POINT OF VIEW I BELIEVE THAT TO TODAY ON AUGUST 30 WE ARE CLOSE TO A CIVIL WAR IN HONDURAS.
I also came upon this at youtube. It’s a radio interview of a Honduran pro-Democracy activist in the days before Zelaya’s ouster (I won’t say coup). She and her interviewer discuss why Obama, and The Obama State Dept remain silent in the face of Zelaya’s blatant attempt to grab power ala Chavez:
Previously:
Obama Administration Seen As “Villains” By Hondurans
United States Revokes Visas For Four Honduran Officials
Zelaya Steps over Border Into Honduras; Then Promptly Steps Back
Ousted President Zelaya Leads Caravan Back To Honduras
Tens Of Thousands Of Pro-Government Hondurans March In Capital
Honduran “Coup-Mongers” Kick Venezuelan Diplomats Out Of Country (UPDATED)
US Turns Up Pressure On Honduran Interim Government To Restore Zelaya
Zelaya Vows To Return To Honduras; Asks Intl. Community For Help
Honduras Crisis Talks Resume In Costa Rica
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Proposes Reinstating Zelaya
“Final Battle” In Honduras This Weekend?
Report: Sunday’s Violence In Honduras Orchestrated By Chavez
Obama Lies By Omission On Honduras
Clinton To Meet With Zelaya In Washington This Week
Honduran Military Removes Despot From Power
Obama “Stands With Democracy”, Defends Leftist Despot/Thug/Drug Trafficker
Nice Deb 
i still believe that Obama and his enablers are seeing this Honduran episode as a prelude to their own coming unconstitutional power-grab. it might not play out in the exact same way (ie: the President trying to force a referendum to extend his presidency) but it will be similar.
the cookie jar got caught with a hand in it too soon. 😉
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Will the US react before all latin america from Mexico downwards is stained by the leftist tide? I believe that in the end we may see your military overthrowing Obama if he tries anything like that
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Gerardo, we’ve been stained by the leftist tide, here, and most people are only beginning to wake up to the fact.
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Micheletti has already stated (Spanish) that the US ambassador is making a “grave/deep error” by asking for the return of Zelaya to Honduras.
A very bad panorama there, true. And worsening by the day.
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Dear Leader is hoping all, South and Central America and Mexico are taken by the lefist. He will then declare himself a 5 star general, and be the leader of the “Junta de Americas”.
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