How dare they! How could anyone think that the United States be involved in the Honduran coup? Could it be that the Honduran military is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Pentagon? Could it be that nearly all of the top officers of the Honduran military, including coup leader General Velásquez, were trained at the notorious School of the Americas?
Could it be that the US provides nearly 20% of the entire military budget of the country and nearly all of its arms and equipment? Could it be that the United States continues to have 600+ trainers in Honduras at the Soto Cano Air Base (where many of the coup leaders were stationed)? Could it be that just a few months ago General Stavridis, head of US Southern Command, declared an “excellent state of cooperation between our two militaries.” Could it be this history-
1903 US Marines intervene in revolution
1907 Marines land during war with Nicaragua
1911 US troops protect “interests” in Honduran civil war overthrowing government. American Lee Christmas becomes Defense Minister
1912 Marines again land to protect US “economic interests”
1919 Marines land during election campaign (the US’ guy would end up winning!)
1924-25 US troops landed twice during election strife (US guy wins again!)
1954 Successful CIA coup to overthrow Guatemalan Guzman organized in Honduras
1965 Honduran dictator supports US invasion of the Dominican Republic
1980’s Honduras is the main staging and training base for the “Contra War” against the neighboring Sandinista government of Nicaragua
This list does not include the dozens and dozens of US interventions against Honduras’ neighbors where, if it were not for the good graces of US imperialism over the years, there would not be the head of a Central American oligarch left on unburdened shoulders.
We will only mention that General Andino controlled Honduras through the 1930s until 1948 with US support and that in 1963 General Arellano overthrew the government and ruled until 1970 also with US support and that in 1972 General Lopez staged another coup and ruled with US support. We only mention the military regimes of General Melgar Castro (1975-78) and General Garcia (1978-82) all, coincidentally we are sure, supported by the United States. We only mention the overwhelming economic penetration of the country by US companies whose trade makes up over 70% of the Honduran economy (with a good deal of the rest in the hands of Canadian mining companies).
If the United States is not lying and knew nothing about this coup (impossible to believe) or did not sponsor the coup itself (maybe) then the question is- did they try to stop it? Was there a wink and a nudge? Did they give mixed signals? And if they are opposed to it why don’t they cut off ties with the Honduran military even now?
The Honduran military is a product of the United States; the Honduran oligarchy only exists on the basis of its relationship to US imperialism. All of the bloody history of the United States in Central America demands that we take nothing the US says for granted. Even if there is no “direct involvement” this coup was Made in the USA.
A demonstration to protest the coup will take place this Wednesday in Detroit- July 1st 4:30 PM- at Hart Plaza (corner of Woodward and Jefferson).
Rustbelt Radical 
Note that despite its rhetoric, the Obama regime has refused to characterize what went down in Honduras as a “coup,” since, under US law, that would oblige them to cut off all aid to those responsible for it. Once again talk is cheap when it comes to the “hope for change” crowd.
The US also is none too keen on bringing back the ousted president…unless his wings are clipped the way Aristide’s were back in the 1990s during Bill Clinton’s reign.
Finally, one should compare the amount and attitude of the coverage given by the mainstream media to events in Honduras with those in Iran. No front page coverage for the former…and it’s not just because of Michael Jackson. Unfortunately the same holds true for most of the left as well.
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I’m familiar with US involvement down there but I find it hard to believe that Obama would sanction such an operation.
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Scott,
Yeah, me too. I am not saying that Obama sanctioned or supported the coup. Such support would go against the current playbook that is attempting to resuscitate the US’s badly Bush-damaged image. I would be very surprised if it were so in fact. I am saying though that the oligarchy and the army exist only through their relationship with the United States. The United States has built, equipped and trained the Honduran military for decades and therefore does have some responsibility for what its creature does. I find it impossible to believe, when coup rumors were widely reported in the days running up to it, that US intelligence and the military did not know about it. So what did they say to the coup plotters before hand? Since they share the same bases they surely had the opportunity to speak. My other question would be on the role of US corporations in the coup. They also wield substantial authority with the army and oligarchy and could have played the role of cheerleader.
RR
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Excellent analysis…insofar as Honduras goes. Only doesn’t it also apply to Iran, which is surely of more importance to US imperialism than Honduras could ever be, unless they discover oil there?
I don’t know how many of our tax dollars are going to fund subversion in Honduras, but the National Endowment for Democracy alone is getting $15-$20 million to do its dirty work in Iran. Then there’s whatever the CIA and the rest of the “intelligence community” is spending on similar such endeavors.
Or. as you so rightly concluded in regards to Central America, “All of the bloody history of the United States in (Iran) demands that we take nothing the US (or its prostitute press and other assorted media myrmidons, I might add) says for granted.” And while the “movement” may not have been “Made in the USA,” it certainly has been aided and abetted by them in no uncertain terms every step of the way.
US imperialism, hands Off Honduras…hands off Iran!
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