> They've done a great job in running the canal and the country has noticeably benefited from America's withdrawal.
Your comment is missing the part where the US military had to go in and take down Noriega. The intervention allowed Guillermo Endara to take power and dissolved the Panamanian Defense Force. Without it, Noriega would certainly still be in power.
Under Torrijos–Carter Treaties the US has a right to intervene militarily to protect the canal. This is probably the biggest thing keeping it from becoming a defacto Russian or Chinese port or drug-runner owned port. Look, I'm all for local politics but your post suggests that everything just went fine with the locals, but in reality the port will always be under US protection in one form or another, which helps keep it thriving.
Remember locals were outraged and protesting in the streets that the US dare attack their beloved bloodthristy dictator.
Dies hards still exist:
>Eighteen years after the invasion, Panama's National Assembly unanimously declared 20 December 2007 to be a day of national mourning.
Your comment is missing the part where the US military had to go in and take down Noriega. The intervention allowed Guillermo Endara to take power and dissolved the Panamanian Defense Force. Without it, Noriega would certainly still be in power.
Under Torrijos–Carter Treaties the US has a right to intervene militarily to protect the canal. This is probably the biggest thing keeping it from becoming a defacto Russian or Chinese port or drug-runner owned port. Look, I'm all for local politics but your post suggests that everything just went fine with the locals, but in reality the port will always be under US protection in one form or another, which helps keep it thriving.
Remember locals were outraged and protesting in the streets that the US dare attack their beloved bloodthristy dictator. Dies hards still exist:
>Eighteen years after the invasion, Panama's National Assembly unanimously declared 20 December 2007 to be a day of national mourning.
Source: wikipedia.