Forbes just published an opinion piece this morning which challenges the validity of the recent Law Library of Congress report that I covered in my "Schock and Awe" blog nearly a month ago.  Considering Forbes' prestige and MSM bona fides, I think it is very significant.

Let's put it in perspective.  The Report, CRS LL File No. 2009-002965, was requested by Republican Aaron Schock, one of the group of U.S. legislators who recently visited Honduras in order to undermine official Obama Administration policy on the Honduran coup d'etat.  The Report has also risen in the MSM to stand as the primary legal argument to prove that President Zelaya's removal and exile was a legal transition of power and not a coup d'etat.  The question lingers: do we have here a case of incompetence within the Law Library of Congress, or do we have a case of intentional disinformation, a species of propaganda?

Both the White House and the State Department must be asking that question.  One enterprising conservative Republican blogger, Joe Collins @ Alabama in Between, noted on September 22 that someone at the White House and the State Department used Google to search the report's author, Norma C. Gutierrez - search terms crs norma c. gutierrez and norma c. gutierrez crs honduras respectively.       

Wed, 10/21/2009 - 16:42 -- AP

Brazil, at Organization of American States, Accuses Honduran Coup Regime of "Torture"

For Immediate Release: October 21, 2009
Contact: Dan Beeton, 202-239-1460

Washington, D.C. - The Brazilian government's Ambassador to the Organization of American States, Ruy de Lima Casaes e Silva, accused the Honduran coup regime of "torture" in its ongoing attacks on Brazil's embassy in Honduras.

Ambassador Lima Casaes described an elaborate series of measures taken by the Honduran security forces surrounding the Embassy to cause sleep deprivation among those inside. These included ultra-high-intensity lights, high-decibel sound, and other measures.

He also mentioned other attacks including tear gas and attacks with unidentified gases, and other forms of harassment and violations of international law including restricting food deliveries.

All of these are serious violations of international law, and have already been condemned on September 25 by the Security Council of the United Nations. Today OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza also condemned the ongoing "harassment" of the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.

"These ongoing violations indicate that the coup regime in Honduras has no interest in dialogue or a mediated solution to the Honduran crisis," said Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. "The also indicate an astounding lack of regard for international law, unusual even in the history of military coups over the last century."

Yes, the "negotiations" have been going on in Tegucigalpa.  At one point last week both negotiating teams agreed on all points of the San Jose Accord, including Zelaya's reinstatement as President.  By later the same day, Michelleti nixed it - and said that the Supreme Court should decide (the court already decided last month...no Zelaya.)  MSM is spreading the word that "both sides are holding up any agreement" but the OAS President Insulza said yesterday that it was the coup leaders who were holding progress up:

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
 Insulza Points A Finger
El Universal, a Venezuelan newspaper, citing a EFE wire story, reports this evening that José Miguel Insulza, OAS President, lamented that the de facto government of Honduras introduced a proposal that was not in conformance with the San Jose Accord and in this manner, "made impossible a good result" in the dialogue to resolve the crisis in Honduras.

"One of the parties presented a proposal that included a point not included in the San Jose Accord, which seeks to force the legitimacy of what happened on June 28. This act make a good outcome in the dialog impossible."

And What's Happening at State?
The rumor mill churned out the news that unidentified State Department Officials are crossing the Obama Administration's official policy on Honduras: to not recognize the elections next month if Zelaya is not restored to office.  Sez Time:

But there are growing signs that the U.S. may be willing to abandon that condition. A number of well-placed sources in Honduras and the U.S. tell TIME that officials in the State Department and the U.S.'s OAS delegation have informed them that the Obama Administration is mulling ways to legitimize the election should talks fail to restore Zelaya in time. "We're suddenly hearing from them that the one may no longer be a [precondition] for the other," says a Western diplomat in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, where Zelaya is currently holed up in the Brazilian embassy.

I think the "growing signs" was Lewis Amselem's wild-card movida at the OAS a few weeks ago where he joined Canada, Panama and Columbia in blocking an OAS vote on Hondurasl, during which meeting he blurted out words to the effect that the US may recognize the elections if Zelaya is not reinstated.  This isn't State's policy, and it looks like Secretary Clinton may have bush-moles problems.  This happened around the same time as those GOPeers went to Honduras to conduct their own foreign policy, against the policy of the US Government.  At any rate, we should note that State pulled yet more visas from Hondurans who support the coup d'etat yesterday.  Another shot across the bow:  agree to the San Jose Accord or else.

Soccer To Me
Hondurans were wildly pleased with the National Soccer Team's making it to the international play-off recently - first time in 27 years.  While most rank and file Hondurans simply celebrated the victory, Michelleti attempted to turn the event into a propaganda triumph to support his ever-faltering dictatorship.  He decreed a national holiday, which was very popular and he should have left it at that.  But noooo, he cordoned off the Presidential Palace with police and armed forces in full riot gear, and held an award ceremony for the team in the presence of his "by invitation only" supporters.  Absent from the ceremony, however, was the National Soccer Team, who had elected to boycott the ceremony - all but two players, who attended but refused the award. 

Whoops, This Just In
Now there he goes again.  No sooner had Michelleti rescinded a decree that abrogated all civil rights in Honduras - because the UN Human Rights team had arrived - that he has declared another law outlawing public gatherings without notifying the police 24 hours in advance.