In the Los Angeles Times today, my friend and former colleague Miguel Estrada, one of the nation’s best legal minds, provides the definitive explanation of why the ouster of aspiring dictator Manuel Zelaya was not a “coup,” as the Obama administration mind-bogglingly claims.  In fact, the removal of Zelaya from office was compelled by the Constitution of Honduras.  That is, it represents, through and through, the rule of law the Obama administration would rather pay lip-service to than heed.  As Miguel explains, the only dubious aspect of the episode is Zelaya’s transfer to Costa Rica when, as a matter of law, he should have been arrested and tried for treason (power grabs of the type Zelaya attempted, Miguel notes, are officially defined as treason under Article 4 of the Honduras Constitution).

Bottom line: Hugo Chavez wants Zelaya in, the law of Honduras says Zelaya must be out; Obama sided with Chavez.

And The One who said he’d raise the world’s opinion of us still has some things to learn from the French.