Comments on: One Man’s Coup… http://shaunkenney.com/2009/07/one-mans-coup/ Politics & Religion in Virginia's Public Square Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Hans http://shaunkenney.com/2009/07/one-mans-coup/comment-page-1/#comment-4377 Hans Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:13:12 +0000 http://shaunkenney.com/?p=6740#comment-4377 It wasn't a coup, but the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State, Arturo Valenzuela, foolishly called it that today. Very foolishly, he also claimed that it was "illegal" to remove the president for his misconduct without a trial and "due process." No such legal requirement exists. Even in the U.S., impeachment of a president does not require a full-blown trial. And under Article 239 of the Honduras Constitution, impeachment was not even required to remove their president. The Obama Administration ignorance of Honduran law, international law, and U.S. law is staggering. It wasn’t a coup, but the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State, Arturo Valenzuela, foolishly called it that today.

Very foolishly, he also claimed that it was “illegal” to remove the president for his misconduct without a trial and “due process.”

No such legal requirement exists. Even in the U.S., impeachment of a president does not require a full-blown trial.

And under Article 239 of the Honduras Constitution, impeachment was not even required to remove their president.

The Obama Administration ignorance of Honduran law, international law, and U.S. law is staggering.

]]> By: Kris Amundson http://shaunkenney.com/2009/07/one-mans-coup/comment-page-1/#comment-4359 Kris Amundson Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:36:52 +0000 http://shaunkenney.com/?p=6740#comment-4359 I understand completely why the Administration is not interested in turning a blind eye to anything that even vaguely resembles a military takeover in Central America. Honestly, I wish the Honduran army had let the (clearly illegal) election take place before they took any action. That said, I absolutely agree that there is tremendous support for the action taken by the Supreme Court, the Congress, AND the Honduran military. Everyone--everyone--I talk to in Honduras (and I have heard from MANY people) agrees that Mel simply posed too great a risk for a young democracy. I am encouraged that the State Department has NOT called this action a "coup." I hope that behind-the-scenes conversations are going on to resolve this situation peacefully, while preserving the Honduran constitution. So there you have it - first Waldo contributes to the RPV and now Shaun and I agree on foreign policy. We live in amazing times. I understand completely why the Administration is not interested in turning a blind eye to anything that even vaguely resembles a military takeover in Central America. Honestly, I wish the Honduran army had let the (clearly illegal) election take place before they took any action.

That said, I absolutely agree that there is tremendous support for the action taken by the Supreme Court, the Congress, AND the Honduran military. Everyone–everyone–I talk to in Honduras (and I have heard from MANY people) agrees that Mel simply posed too great a risk for a young democracy.

I am encouraged that the State Department has NOT called this action a “coup.” I hope that behind-the-scenes conversations are going on to resolve this situation peacefully, while preserving the Honduran constitution.

So there you have it – first Waldo contributes to the RPV and now Shaun and I agree on foreign policy. We live in amazing times.

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