Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega, in an interview published in Managua’s La Prensa newspaper, said that the Bush administration would do everything legally possible to prevent the leftist Sandinistas from returning to power .

Saying that Nicaragua “would sink like a rock and reach the depths of Cuba” (which country, by the way, is the only Caribbean country that is self sufficient in food production and not dragged down by World Bank and IMF debt–editorial note), Noriega said,

We will do everything we can to provide alternatives so that Nicaraguans can choose the government they deserve, and the country doesn’t end managed by Cuba or subsidized by Venezuela.

The present ruling party split a few years ago so that the Sandinistas are now the largest single party in the country. In last year’s municipality elections, the Sandinistas racked up wins in 70% of all the municipalities. They look to be the favorites to win the November 2006 presidential elections as well (assuming a free and fair election.)

This story bear close attention since we’ve already seen that the administration believes that anything that it does outside our borders is legal.

The DailyKos blog has a story about the latest White House attempts to have their cake and eat it, too.

There are two things going on:

1) A court ordered the latest most horrific Abu Ghraib photos and videos to be released by yesterday (July 22nd), but on that day the government filed an 11th hour motion requesting exemption in order to continue to suppress knowledge of inhumane treatment of prisoners. They really don’t want this story out there; by filing the motion late on a Friday, it will likely be missed by most of the press.

2) When lawmakers, including John McCain (R-Az.) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) begin work on amendments to defense spending bills “on the standard treatment of prisoners,” the Bush administration resorts to threats: “If legislation is presented that would restrict the president’s authority to protect Americans effectively from terrorist attack and bring terrorists to justice,” the bill could be vetoed, the statement said.

Apparently it’s not enough to torture and degrade America’s image in the eyes of the world; anyone who wants to legislate on the matter, for example, a former POW Republican senator, which may have the affect of improving America’s image by reaffirming values such as fair treatment and opposition to cruel and inhumane punishment, is told to back off.

In this interview (click here for link) a couple discusses their love for each other and the Wife’s (very) forseeable death. A very captivating, engrossing and emotional piece.