We're restoring it with one-way demands on Colombia:
Obama to Colombia: Military base now, free trade later.
Now that's nuance!
And we're rebuilding ties with Old Europe. Well, there's a hiccup there, apparently, since the German elites and other Europeans still don't like America:
The scorn from the traditionally anti-American magazine, this time aimed at the sainted Obama, is really quite something, and the comparison of Obama to Bush and Summers to Cheney is arresting.
Let the "why do they hate us?" debates begin! Or perhaps our State Department hasn't gotten around to explaining that George W. Bush is no longer our president?
And of course we're listening to Latin America and becoming good neighbors again. But then we go meddling in the internal affairs of Honduras:
The Obama administration and European governments denounced the coup. U.S. officials said they were working for the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya and European officials offered to mediate talks between the two sides.
If you think the president boldy sided with the good guys, guess again, as the very same article explains despite the use of the word "coup" early on. Says the President of their Congress:
The Honduran constitution limits presidents to a single 4-year term and forbids any modification of that limit. Zelaya's opponents feared he would use the referendum results to try to run again, just as Chavez reformed his country's constitution to be able to seek re-election repeatedly.
Micheletti said Sunday that the army acted on orders from the courts, and the ouster was carried out "to defend respect for the law and the principles of democracy." But he threatened to jail Zelaya and put him on trial if he returned.
Micheletti also hit back at Chavez, saying "nobody, not Barack Obama and much less Hugo Chavez, has any right to threaten this country."
It seems rule of law is not on the side of the removed president, who appeared to be seeking to extend his term of office. The first clue might have been the vocal support Hugo Chavez gave to the removed president.
Still, we're aligned with Hugo, so that's good, right?
And of course, that meddling in Somalia. Isn't it shocking that we'd do this in a Moslem country?
Thank God we have nuanced, smart diplomacy to restore our reputation in the world.
