Honduras: Bloody Sunday

The BBC reports that at least two people were killed during clashes outside the country's main airport between forces of the new government and supporters of the ousted president. Thousands of loyalists reportedly appeared there, theoretically to prevent the promised arrest of Mr. Zelaya, but it seems that they wouldn't have made a difference had he landed. As it was, his plane was denied permission to land anywhere in the country, and he returned to Nicaragua with his tail between his wings, so to speak. It seems pretty certain now that only an invasion that is very unlikely would restore Zelaya to the presidency. Unless sanctions can cripple the country, he's not coming back. His friends are bound to rage and bluster, but they do so impotently as long as Zelaya lacks a "people power" base within Honduras itself. Zelaya told a reporter today that, had he a parachute, he would have jumped from the plane. His supporters will forgive my irreverence, but it seems that that omission can be rectified easily enough and the remaining details arranged with little trouble. It's only a question of how long we should wait on this one-man invasion before we dismiss Zelaya to the pages of history.