Thread: Panama: Families mark 20 years since US invasion

Relatives of people who were killed when the US military invaded Panama in 1989 marked the 20th anniversary of the intervention on Dec. 20 with a protest outside the old US embassy in Panama City, burning effigies of US president Barack Obama and Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli. The Association of Relatives of the Fallen is calling for a Truth Commission to investigate the events of December 1989, including possible war crimes.

Panama: Families mark 20 years since US invasion

Interesting thank...

Maybe they should have burned an effigy of ex-Presidente Manuel Noriega instead. He was responsible for that fiasco - along with the Ding Bats! The US wasn't operating anywhere close to the el Chorillo area where all the fires were sprouting up.

Bottom line....is Panama better off today than it was under Noriega? Seems like Panama is the crown jewel of the Central Americasonly 20 years following the invasion. Are the Panamanian people antagonistic towards Americans?

I do not advocate US "world domination" by any means, but when there is a dictator like Noriega in control of the country that lets face the fact- the US built the canal that is their lifeblood and Panamanians were suffering while he lived a life of opulence- we were asked to come there and remove him by MANY Panamanians.

I am quite sure that the US would have preferred Noriega just step down peacefully-there are always casualties in conflicts-even ones where the people are oppressed. If Panamanians want to protest, why dont they protest Noriega and his refusal to step down that was the cause of Panamanians dying in the first place? It may have to do with the fact that US is biggest welfare provider in the world- main reason we are broke

Maybe the people fleeing Venezuela due to Chavez can give better perspective- I do not know why protesters are gunning for Obama- he is the biggest dictator wanna be in US history. Some people like the whole dictatorship/rule with an iron fist kinda thing I guess- here we call them masochistic and socialistic- LIBERALS!!

Here is an interesting fact: http://www.superbancos.gob.pa/aspec_...20a%202000.xls

In 1982 the total bank deposits were 40.3 billion dollars. At the end of 1989 they are down to about 11.5 billion with a clear downward trend. Was money laundering becoming a smaller or a bigger problem during Noriega then?

Adjusting for inflation, Panama is still not back to the 1982 levels. Current bank deposits are at about 50 billion now.

Interesting info Ed.

Here is a link that shows revenue generated by the canal in 2008.

Panama Canal Authority sees revenue growth in 2008 | Reuters

All (especially North amaericans and panamanians) should see the documentary "The Panama Deception" a documentary by Barbara Trent and David Kasper. Im writing my bachelortheses about the realtion between Noriega and the US and the invasion of 1989 and this documentary gives a good view!

I did not watch the video, but I did check out Trent and Kasper and the Empowerment Project she heads up here in my home state of north Carolina. She is basically anti-US everything. She is against all conflict, no matter how severe and inhumane a situation is that may require US involvement. She is also against "unfettered capitalism" aka pro-liberal/socialism. It is people like her as to why this country is hurting now.

Why would she have been in Panama promoting and showing her "documentary" on the 20 year anniversary of the invasion other than to stir people up? check out her site and see where she was Dec 2009.

I think it's just critisicm on her own goverenment wich is never, in every country, a bad thing. I think it's been a good thing she was in Panama with the 20 years anniversary because I think panamanian don't often see critics of US on its own government.

Originally Posted by Annepannetje

All (especially North amaericans and panamanians) should see the documentary "The Panama Deception" a documentary by Barbara Trent and David Kasper. Im writing my bachelortheses about the realtion between Noriega and the US and the invasion of 1989 and this documentary gives a good view!

I found this most helpful to gain some insight into resent history. This is a fairly good quality full length version. The Panama Deception

Interesting how so many millions were so effectively deceived. Amazing how I never encountered any perceived (on my part) resentment from the locals, even though I am from the States.

I also find it interesting that the neighborhoods that were apparently ravaged were predominantly inhabited by darker skinned, more indigenous looking folk, while those who were interviewed by the official media (and who apparently embraced the U.S. actions) were more European in appearance. El Chorillo still looks like a war zone...

Nobody seems to question why the Cubans living in the U.S. and who hate Castro so much tend to look like the latter. How many in the Western "developed" world realize that our governments are essentially the same as those that committed the horrors we read about in history books? Imperialism is alive and well, and more virile than ever. We recognize it as something else entirely, refusing to acknowledge the similarities.

Hmmm... I have an overpowering urge to listen to Buffalo Springfield... for whatever it is worth...