Invasion Of Panama: Operation Just Cause

On December of 1989, the United States broke both international law and its own government policies by invading Panama in order to overthrow general and de facto military leader Manuel Noriega to justice for drug trafficking. This is popularly known as the U.S. Invasion of Panama, codenamed Operation Just Cause. This happened during the administration of President George W. Bush.

Noriega had seized control of his country back in 1983, when he became head of the National Guard. From this position power, he was able to make up the military and manipulate elections, so that the winning presidents will become his puppet leaders. During Noriega’s time, corruption was widespread and he was able to exercise his power to send someone to prison, or worse kill any who go against him. In 1987, a former officer of the Panamanian defense force publicly accused Noriega of cooperating with Colombian drug producers.

The United States responded by imposing stringent restrictions that took an extensive toll on the country. On the 15th of December 1989, the Panamanian legislature declared Noriega president and the U.S. and Panama were in a state of war. Following the shooting of a U.S. Marine, President George W. Bush ordered Operation Just Cause, or the invasion of Panama that consist of over 25,000 soldiers. The mission was very controversial because of the resulting gloss of hundreds of Panamanian lives and the subsequent damage to Panama City and El Chorillo.

The official American justification for the invasion of Panama was put forward in a short statement issued by President George W. Bush on the morning of December 20, a few hours after the start of the operation. There are four reasons that President Bush listed for the invasion of Panama and they are:

o Safeguarding the lives of U.S. citizens in Panama – Bush claimed that Noriega had declared war between Panama and the US and that Noriega also threatened 35, 000 Americans living there
o Defending democracy and human rights in Panama
o Combating drug trafficking – Panama had become a center for drug money laundering and a transit point for drug trafficking to the U.S. and Europe.
o Protecting the integrity of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties – Members of Congress and others in the U.S. political establishment claimed that Noriega threatened the neutrality of the Panama Canal and that US had the right to intervene military to protect the canal.

Nevertheless, the military was able to quickly achieve victory as Noriega surrendered on the 3rd of January of 1990. He was taken to the U.S., tried, convicted, and jailed on drug trafficking charges and now serving his 40-year sentence in Miami.

You may or may not agree to the reasons of President Bush regarding the Operation Just Cause or the invasion of Panama, but one thing is for sure- when it comes to battle between good and evil, Good always PREVAILS!