tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338612245455097792.post3019061976395401838..comments2023-09-11T10:45:49.957-07:00Comments on Honduras Culture and Politics: US response in Honduras as part of a pattern...RAJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00097415587406899236noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338612245455097792.post-41927243916157739352010-06-01T10:32:20.409-07:002010-06-01T10:32:20.409-07:00A better explanation might be the pattern the Obam...A better explanation might be the pattern the Obama administration has established in other areas, like torture/detention and health insurance: fine-sounding initial declarations, followed by a steady dribble of actual reversals, deals with the devil, and solidification in law and precedent of some of the worst of the lawlessness and bad policy.<br /><br />The basics of the actual, unchanging U.S. policy were in view as early as two days after the coup: fig-leaf restitution of a crippled Zelaya at best, always with the willingness to ride it out to the magically cleansing elections if need be. Actual change in the policy of supporting right-wing coups would have beeb signaled by prompt formal State Dept. recognition that a military coup had taken place, followed quickly by actual aid cutoffs and high-level visa retractions.<br /><br />When that didn't happen within the first two weeks, it should have been clear that nothing had really changed but the desire to have it both ways (which explained the token, too-late gestures that continued into October).<br /><br />It was our own hopes and reluctance to stop giving the benefit of the doubt that blurred our vision. In the end, stringing us along over such a long period did a great deal more damage to the administration's image among friends of actual democracy than they may have intended or realized. <br /><br />But it's their m.o. in everything.Nellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01969732734453586544noreply@blogger.com