Panama ex-president remains in US

[demoleft]

Source: BBC

Panama's former President Manuel Noriega remains in jail in the United States, even though his 17-year sentence for drug offences has ended.

He had been due to leave jail and be extradited to France, where he has been convicted on money laundering charges.

But defence lawyers filed a last-minute appeal which will be heard by a federal court in Georgia and could take weeks.

...
The Federal Bureau of Prisons on Sunday listed Mr Noriega's projected release date as "unknown".



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6986415.stm

---

Weird. Everyone would like to see Paris once in his life...

[peacetalksforall]

1. It is immediately, feasibly, and probably safe to assume that they

(Bush, Sr and the cia/mil) don't want him talking to anyone. Not even France who is a right wing friend of the Bushes when it comes to takeover type moves that involve the Caribbean. Not even France, because he would probably go on trial and nasty things might come out about money laundering stuff. On the other hand, if they march with the Bushes on old CIA stuff going on in Panams, they might arrange to put him in jail over there. Who luandered money from whom. And who betrayed whom. For betrayal is present here.

Yes, at one time in our past we believed the news, accepted every word, assumed that we were doing everything righ. Now we know.

We are an imperialistic nation. There is little democracy here. Just claims and slogans. Bravado and nonsense. Don't mess with the Bushes.

[Judi Lynn]

2. For anyone who missed it recently when a DU'er posted this link, you may want to take 3 minutes

and 22 seconds to check this introductory video on a documentary on "The Panama Deception," which you will REALLY appreciate seeing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMij_K7Rd_g

The entire video, 1 hour, 31 minutes:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-446387292666223710&q=Panama+%2B+invasion&total=88&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

It's truly worth your time. In case you haven't noticed, we don't get the entire story, unfortunately, until much later when US Republican pResidents move against weaker countries in the Western Hemisphere. Panama is important because the elder _Bush set the new style with this underhanded dirty action for future invasions.

[Judi Lynn]

3. You may feel the need to listen to the documentary several times.

aIt's almost all completely unfamiliar material, as so much was concealed from us when this happened, under the elder _Bush. You will be very deeply surprised. Only a sociopath would enjoy what he/she learns from this.

You'll be glad you took the time to hear the truth.

[roody]

4. Shall we expect a heart attack or aneurysm?

Maybe he will fall down.

[Judi Lynn]

5. We'll probably get the news an Islamic terrorist/singing telegram deliverer blew him up,

after singing "When you're running down my country, hoss, you're walkin' on the fightin' side of me."

Lyrics:
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/haggard-merle/fightin-side-of-me-496.html

Someone who knows as much as this guy won't be allowed to flap around loose very long. He knows far too much about Reagan/_Bush.

I yearn for the day we don't have trash controlling our own country, operating its would-be-fine-without-them-government.

[David in Canada]

6. Noriega was never president...

Noriega served as Commander of the Panama Defence Forces from 1983 until his ouster in 1989. In this capacity, Noriega was the de facto leader of Panama, albeit not the de jure leader.

Noriega was the power behind the throne through hand-selected puppet presidents that he had elected in sham elections. The only current instance of such a leader is Muammar Qaddafi, who holds the honourific title of "Leader of the Revolution" albeit he serves as neither de jure Head of State nor Head of Government.

It was because of Noriega's status as a de facto ruler that he was not subject to diplomatic immunity. The same case holds true for Qaddafi, who never leaves Libya.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Helpful details on Noriega's rocky career in Panama:

PANAMA:

THE RESUMÉ OF MANUEL NORIEGA,

THE MOST FAMOUS GRADUATE OF THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS

50s-60s Spy for US, informing on colleagues in his socialist party, and on leftist students at his Peruvian military academy. ? New York Times, 9/28/88

1967 Finishes courses at SOA including Infantry Officer, Combat Intelligence Officer, Military Intelligence (Counter-Intelligence Officer Course), and Jungle Operations. An instructor calls him "outstanding." ? John Dinges, Our Man in Panama, 1991

1971 US has "hard evidence" of his heavy involvement in drug trafficking, "sufficient for indictment". Nixon sets in motion initial plans for his assassination. ? Frontline (PBS), 1/30/90

1970-76 Meanwhile, Noriega is in the pay of the CIA and the Pentagon, reportedly receiving more than $100,000 per year. ? Newsweek, 1/15/90

1976 CIA Director George Bush gives him a VIP tour of CIA headquarters in Washington; he resides with Bush's Deputy Director. ? Dinges

1977 Carter officials reportedly remove him from the US payroll. ? New York Times, 10/2/88

1979 Gives haven to the overthrown Shah of Iran, brutal US-installed dictator.

1981 Becomes part of a ruling military junta after 13-year dictator and SOA graduate General Omar Torrijos dies in a plane crash, later blamed on Noriega and the CIA by other junta members.

Reagan/Bush officials put him back on the US payroll, again reportedly at more than $100,000 per year. ? San Francisco Chronicle, 6/11/87

1981-83 Extensive drug trafficking and money laundering involving the Medellin, Colombia cocaine cartel. ? Dinges

8/83 Seizes command of the National Guard (to be renamed "Panama Defense Forces"). He is the effective chief of state.

11/83 Washington visits with White House, State Department and Pentagon, including CIA Director William Casey. ? Newsweek, 1/15/90

1983-86 The US loves him for: spying on Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega; allowing the United States to set up listening posts in Panama, with which they monitor sensitive communications in all of Central America and beyond; aiding the American warfare against the rebels in El Salvador and the government of Nicaragua (facilitating the flow of money and arms to the contras, allowing the US to base spy planes in Panama in clear violation of the canal treaties, giving the US permission to train contras in Panama, and spying in support of American sabotage inside of Nicaragua). ? Newsweek, 1/15/90

The American love/hate relationship ?

1983-86 The US hates him for: suspected spying for Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega; helping Cuba circumvent the US economic embargo; helping to get weapons for the Sandinistas and for the guerrillas m El Salvador and Colombia; transferring high technology to Eastern Europe.

1984 The CIA and the Medellin cartel help finance the campaign of Noriega?s candidate for President, Nicolas Barletta. Barletta is declared the winner ten days after the election, while the US ambassador hides from the media information that Barletta had been defeated by at least four thousand votes. Political opposition parties demonstrate for weeks against the egregious fraud, to no avail. Reagan welcomes Barletta to the Oval Office, and Secretary of State George Schultz attends the inauguration.

1985 A few enthusiastic Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents and US Attorneys, keeping a low profile, begin investigations into his drug activities.

6/86 The New York Times carries a front-page story recounting many of his questionable activities, including his drug trafficking and money laundering operations, and the murder of a political opponent. It is the most detailed and damning report on him to appear in the US media. The Reagan administration reassures him that he need not be overly concerned about the story.

7/86 Oliver North arranges for an American public relations firm to work on improving Panama's and Noriega's image, in return for continued support of the Nicaraguan sabotage campaign. ? Iran-Contra testimony of PR firm official

1987 Drug Enforcement Agency head John Lawn praises Noriega?s "personal commitment" in helping to solve a major money laundering case. High US law enforcement officials, including Lawn, work alongside Noriega at a meeting of Interpol, even advising him on how to achieve a better public image. ? Los Angeles Times, 1/16/90

1988 Indictment on Federal drug charges. (His principal protectors in Washington are gone: North had been relieved of his duties in 1986, Casey had died in 1987.) All the charges relate to activities prior to June 1984 (except for one drugs/arms deal in 1986). The DEA is deeply divided between those who investigated him as a criminal and those who swore by the authenticity of his cooperation with their agency. ? Dinges.

5/89 The CIA provides more than $10 million in aid to Noriega?s opposition. When the ballot counting indicated his candidate losing heavily, he stops the electoral process and allows violence against opposition candidates and their supporters. Unlike 1984, Washington expresses its moral indignation about the fraudulent election. ? US News & World Report, 5/1/89

10/89 Elements of the Panamanian Defense Forces take custody of him for two hours and offer to turn him over to the US military, but are refused (Bush has never clearly explained this decision). They receive no US support, and pro-Noriega forces free him.? New York Times, 10/8/90

Another brutal American invasion?

12/89 The US invades Panama, ostensibly in order to capture Noriega, who is in a Florida prison serving a forty-year sentence for drug trafficking. The official body count is approximately 500 Panamanians (mainly civilians) dead, but nongovernmental sources with no less evidence count thousands more; there are also over 3,000 wounded, tens of thousands left homeless. Plus 23 American dead, 324 wounded. Reporter: "Was it really worth it to send people to their death for this? To get Noriega?" Bush: "{E}very human life is precious, and yet I have to answer, yes, it has been worth it." ? New York Times, 12/22/89

1990 The original post-invasion plans called for outright US military government, with the head of the US Army Southern command as Panama?s de facto ruler. At the last minute a decision is made to install Guillermo Endara as president, but his government is "merely a façade". ? official Pentagon study of the Panama occupation, cited in The Nation, 10/3/94. Endara, one of the two vice presidents, and the attorney general, all have links to drug trafficking and money laundering. ? EXTRA!, 1/90. The US confiscates thousands of boxes of Noriega government documents and refuses to hand over any of them to Panamanian investigators. "The United States is protecting robbers and thieves and obstructing justice. We are the owners of the documents. If I am to complete my work, I have to see the documents." ? Panama?s chief prosecutor, Los Angeles Times, 6/23/90

1991 Colombian drug cartels and associates of Noriega once again turn Panama into a narcotics transshipment center; there are far more cocaine production facilities than ever existed under Noriega, and drug use in Panama is reportedly at a far higher level. ? Los Angeles Times, 4/28/91

The Organization of American States approved a resolution "to deeply regret the military intervention in Panama" by a vote of 20 to 1 (the US).
(snip/...)

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~lormand/poli/soa/panama.htm

[David__77]

9. That criminal invasion awakened me further to political life.

I was just a kid then, but I remember reading our local right-leaning daily paper, and thinking, "this is such blatant propaganda... and they have the nerve to complain about 'Pravda?'" I couldn't believe how the campaign of demonization and jingoism was cranked up. It was just a small taste in comparison with "Desert Shield/Storm," of course...

[goforit]

8. No we can't embarrass Poppy Bush's inhumane attack on Panama citizens.

hush hush hush!!!!