There seem to be two points on this issue.

I thought the point of the article was the Latin and South American reaction to the US response. After untold generations of military dictatorships in the area, apparently those nations have banded together to support democracy, however flawed they may be. They will not diplomatically recognize a coup against a democracy.

I have to think that's noble.

The article seemed to express the area's disappointment with the US for undermining their efforts to continue to move toward democratic governments on the continent. The US's rapid approval of a military overthrow of a democracy, coming as it does on top of long-time US words in favor of democracy had to be extremely disappointing.

There are democracies with other interests and economic systems than that of the US, and I believe sometimes the US in it's chauvinism fails to honor that. Sometimes I believe we think that if it's really a "democracy" it will have the same economic interests as do we.

The other issue is what the US should do to further it's economic interests.

Clearly, here the noble cause of democracy was sacrificed to the noble cause of economic interest, and the other governments in the area were disappointed.

And, as you said, maybe we should butt out more than we do.

Arf