Customer Reviews

Panama

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Having lived in Panama during the Noriega dictatorship, I am an avid reader of books covering this particular period of Panamanian history. While I found Kevin Buckley's book to be generally well written, it tries to cover too much ground in too little space, providing readers with an abbreviated account of major events during the rule of strong men Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega. For a more in-depth perspective on Panamanian history, I found that using the names of these two dictators as key words in my search resulted in a better selection of books.

Buckley shows how America sometimes creates its own problems. This is shown by the rise and fall of Manuel Antonio Noriega (MAN for short). MAN played both sides of the street. He supported the Contras and yet also supported the Marti front in El Salvador. He turned in drug smugglers but also facilitated the mass importation of cocaine to the U.S. from Columbia. Yet the United States supported him until he became an embarassment to U.S. Foreign policy. Bush I met with him twice. MAN was also a killer. He used his PDF to suppress the oposition. MAN was also a drunk most of his waking hours. Why the U.S. ever supported him is beyond me.

Buckley shows the contradictions in U.S. policy. Eventually, the U.S. had to use extreme force in Operation Just Cause to topple MAN's regime. This is a nice read about an embarassment in U.S. Foreign policy. For another nice read on the same subject see "In the Time of Tyrants". The only improvement in this book would be the addition of pictures.

Very useful, readable account of the events surrounding the invasion, and vivid details of another example of the age-old American policy of overthrowing foriegn regimes.
Often critical but never overtly opinionated, Buckley's best section relates to the failed U.S.-backed coup and its tragic aftermath.