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The official reasons for "Operation Just Cause" according to the Bush administration at the time were:
1) Defending democracy and human rights;
2) Combatting drug trafficking;
3) Safeguarding the lives of U.S. citizens in Panama;
4) Protecting the integrity of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which were aimed at giving control of the Panama Canal back to Panama with a guarantee of neutrality for the canal zone and future shipping/world commerce;
You forgot one important fact - Panama (i.e. Pinnappleface Noriega and his goons) declared war on the US. When these tin pot dictator's declare war on the US as a publicity stunt to get favor with it's citizens, yeah you better then be prepared for a US aircraft carrier fleet with 30,000 troops to land on your shores. Particularly when we have 25,000 US citizens living there.
By what right does anyone seize absolute power and establish a personal Thugocracy? There was nothing legitimate about The Pineapple's rule, so removing him cannot be seen as an illegitimate action.
By what right does anyone seize absolute power and establish a personal Thugocracy? There was nothing legitimate about The Pineapple's rule, so removing him cannot be seen as an illegitimate action.
Yes, Noriega was bad but so were/are a lot of "leaders" that we don't necessarily remove from power. It was the was the presence of the canal and the (legitimate) concern that Noriega might threaten stability/neutrality along the canal zone that was the primary reason the US invaded.
The rest of the official reasons were just a show. Noriega was on the CIA payroll for years...
Yes, Noriega was bad but so were/are a lot of "leaders" that we don't necessarily remove from power. It was the was the presence of the canal and the (legitimate) concern that Noriega might threaten stability/neutrality along the canal zone that was the primary reason the US invaded.
The rest of the official reasons were just a show. Noriega was on the CIA payroll for years...
That's covered in reason 4 of the OP's list as one of the official reasons, it's no secret that the stability of the Panama Canal was critical and of uptmost strategic importance.
The fact that Pinneappleface was some sort of informant for the CIA in previous years I do not see as relevant at that point in time. He obviously was not during the time of the invasion, he had gone rogue years previously.
While the necessity of the invasion can be debated, I think that the tactic of blasting Noriega's HQ with heavy metal music until he surrendered was pretty great.
While the necessity of the invasion can be debated, I think that the tactic of blasting Noriega's HQ with heavy metal music until he surrendered was pretty great.
haha...yeah...The Vatican Embassy. I think some of it was Guns-N-Roses and Metallica...and Clash's version of "I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)". That was brilliant.
haha...yeah...The Vatican Embassy. I think some of it was Guns-N-Roses and Metallica...and Clash's version of "I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)". That was brilliant.
They also used Nancy Sinatra recordings, that was what probably made the Pineapple surrender.
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