JIM DEMINT REPORTS BACK FROM HONDURAS

A prime example of why John Kerry didn't want Republican Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) to travel to Honduras on a fact finding mission. If you remember, Kerry tried to blackmail DeMint by preventing the trip because DeMint was holding up ambassadorial appointments as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

It seems Mr. DeMint has written a column for the WALL STREET JOURNAL that details what he found. As suspected, Micheletti's government was further vindicated by DeMint's trip, which seems to explain Kerry's alleged blackmail attempt.

After visiting Tegucigalpa last week and meeting with a cross section of leaders from Honduras's government, business community, and civil society, I can report there is no chaos there. There is, however, chaos to spare in the Obama administration's policy toward our poor and loyal allies in Honduras.

That policy was set in a snap decision the day Mr. Zelaya was removed from office, without a full assessment of either the facts or reliable legal analysis of the constitutional provisions at issue. Three months later, it remains in force, despite mounting evidence of its moral and legal incoherence.

Calling the Obama adminstration's policy toward Honduras a "snap decision" without the "facts" is actually giving him the benefit of the doubt and a bit kind. Assuming that's all it was would likely mean another beer summit, this time with different guests. Obama would speak to the White House press corps. and tell them that he should have "calibrated" his "words differently". But unlike the fracas Obama caused domestically with his "police acted stupidly" comment, there has been no real political damage for his insistance on reinstating a would-be dictator and friend of Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and the Castro brothers.

I found two more very revealing things in DeMint's column. One is that the only person in Tegucigalpa that he met who insisted that Zelaya was ousted via coup was the U.S. Ambassador:

In a day packed with meetings, we met only one person in Honduras who opposed Mr. Zelaya's ouster, who wishes his return, and who mystifyingly rejects the legitimacy of the November elections: U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens.

When I asked Ambassador Llorens why the U.S. government insists on labeling what appears to the entire country to be the constitutional removal of Mr. Zelaya a "coup," he urged me to read the legal opinion drafted by the State Department's top lawyer, Harold Koh. As it happens, I have asked to see Mr. Koh's report before and since my trip, but all requests to publicly disclose it have been denied.

Again, take note of the socialist tendency to withold the truth because the positions taken by socialists are so untenable, sunlight would lead to certain defeat in the debate arena.

As further illustration of my point: John Kerry (D) tries to prevent DeMint from going on a fact-finding mission to Honduras and fails. While in Honduras, DeMint asks the U.S. Ambassador why the Obama Administration insists on siding with a would-be dictator. Said Ambassador doesn't answer DeMint's question but instead directs him to a legal opinion written by another Obama appointee, Harold Koh. When DeMint attempts to obtain that legal opinion, he can't get it.

Obama is acting stupidly on Honduras.

Be sure to read DeMint's ENTIRE COLUMN.

ZELAYA CLAIMS HE'S BEING TORTURED BY JEWS

Who'd have thought that Zelaya would unmask himself to this degree since June 28th, when he was forcibly removed from power? Just think, if current president Roberto Micheletti would have backed down, this kook Zelaya would actually be running a country.

The MIAMI HERALD reports:

It's been 89 days since Manuel Zelaya was booted from power. He's sleeping on chairs, and he claims his throat is sore from toxic gases and "Israeli mercenaries'' are torturing him with high-frequency radiation.

"We are being threatened with death,'' he said in an interview with The Miami Herald, adding that mercenaries were likely to storm the embassy where he has been holed up since Monday and assassinate him.

Micheletti has got to be laughing out loud. In fact, I understand that shortly after it was discovered that Zelaya was inside the Brazilian embassy, loud speakers were placed outside the building. I'm not sure if they're still there but a recording of Micheletti laughing on a continuous loop would be a great addition to the play list.

Somebody needs to check Zelaya's white cowboy hat and see if it's made out of tin! Hillary was close enough when she was shaking his hand. Perhaps she should have checked that out.

Then again, maybe Honduran officials are lying.

Witnesses said that for a short time Tuesday morning, soldiers used a device that looked like a large satellite dish to emit a loud shrill noise.

Honduran police spokesman Orlin Cerrato said he knew nothing of any radiation devices being used against the former president.

"He says there are mercenaries against him? Using some kind of apparatus?'' Cerrato said. ``No, no, no, no. Sincerely: no. The only elements surrounding that embassy are police and military, and they have no such apparatus.''

When Zelaya first arrived in Honduras, it was a source of great concern for many who are in support of Micheletti but with these developments, the only radioactivity that may be inside that embassy is emanating from Zelaya and potentially keeping his supporters away.

With words like the ones coming out of Zelaya's mouth while inside the Brazilian embassy, it's quite possible he may find himself under the Obama bus soon.

Other suggestions for the playlist:
Beatles' White Album
Jewish Folk Songs
Twilight Zone Music
Continual loop of Six Million Dollar man's bionic eye in action.

WOW!

h/t to DRUDGE

HOTEL CALIFORNIA FOR MANUEL ZELAYA?

Has the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa become Hotel California for Manuel Zelaya? Perhaps a better comparison might be the roach motel. In any case, he may be second-guessing his decision. It was obviously much easier for him to enter that embasssy than it will be for him to leave.

Yes, he caught Micheletti flat-footed by showing up in Tegucigalpa but now Micheletti knows exactly where Zelaya is and will probably descend on him rather quickly the second he steps off of sovereign Brazilian land.

The AP reported on the events surrounding Zelaya's arrival at the embassy.

Zelaya, forced out of his country at gunpoint June 28, triumphantly popped up in the capital Monday, telling captivated supporters that after three months of international exile and a secretive 15-hour cross-country journey, he was ready to lead again.

Now that it's been more than 24 hours since his arrival, I wonder if Zelaya is having an "uh-oh" moment. It's becoming clear that at best, Zelaya is a narcissist, making everything about him while showing no regard for the consequences of his actions. At worst, he's the would-be tyrant he's suspected of being. Even Hillary Clinton called his actions "reckless" when he crossed into Honduras briefly back in July. Now, as then, Micheletti appears to be the one showing restraint. Zelaya's latest stunt has enflamed tensions as well, shutting down businesses in the city and causing government resources to be focused in one tiny area (the Brazilian embassy).

The entire country was largely shut down, with almost no cars or pedestrians in the streets and few businesses open under a nearly round-the-clock curfew decreed by the interim government that ousted Zelaya in June. It accused Zelaya of sneaking back into the country Monday to create disturbances and disrupt the Nov. 29 election scheduled to pick his successor.

Now we have even further evidence that would indicate that Micheletti's government has shown respect for the rule of law while excercising controlled restraint in dealing with these situations. Despite the brazeness of Zelaya, Micheletti is honoring (for now) the sovereignty of Brazil, even after its government obviously helped exacerbate Micheletti's problems with Zelaya.

Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez said the government would not try to enter the embassy to arrest Zelaya, but he also said Honduras' interim leaders had no intention of yielding on the central point demanded by the international community: the reinstatement of Zelaya to serve out the remaining four months of his term.

Micheletti has continued his hard stance on Zelaya's fate if he returns to Honduras. He will be arrested, charged, and likely sent to prison.

Later in the day, Lopez, the foreign minister, quoted Micheletti as saying that "I will talk to anybody, anywhere, any time, including ex-president Manuel Zelaya." But Lopez said the offer did not include allowing Zelaya to serve out his presidential term or avoid arrest on a Supreme Court warrant charging the ex-leader with treason and abuse of authority.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out but unless international bodies are willing to forcibly install Manuel Zelaya, thereby showing complete disregard for the Honduran constitution, Zelaya could end up second-guessing his decision to take that piece of cheese perched on the rat trap.

Here is Hillary on July 24th, calling Zelaya "reckless" for crossing the Nicaraguan border into Honduras.



So Hillary, if venturing across the border is "reckless", what do you call sneaking in to the nation's capital under cover of darkness and finding refuge in a foreign country's embassy?

Micheletti continues to hold his ground and show true courage. Keep it up, Roberto!