From the Archives

No, not my own, but from the New York Times and Noam Chomsky, respectively. It was on this day back in 1989 that George H.W. Bush decided to "put the Vietnam syndrome behind us" and launched the invasion of Panama. In terms of the fighting, let's just say a mouse has a better chance in a boa's cage than the Panamanians.

After about a week or so, IIRC, the object of our desire--Manuel Noriega--surrendered from the Papal Nuncio, where he'd taken refuge, and was eventually booked into a Florida prison, where he resides to this day. However, the families of the several thousand Panamanians who were killed in the equivalent of an international pro-wrestling match didn't even receive so much as on official apology, much less any compensation. I think they were supposed to take comfort in the fact that it significantly reduced the wimp label affecting Bush, Sr. Such a small price to pay...