U.S. Prods Panamanians to Act

The Reagan Administration today acknowledged it may take more than economic sanctions to oust Manuel A. Noriega and urged his Panamanian Defense Force to overthrow the Panamanian strongman.

While insisting the United States has succeeded in cutting the flow of dollars Noriega needs to operate the government, national security adviser Colin Powell acknowledged that the action to date has not had the desired political effect. Of Panama’s military, he said: “They have not yet provided sufficient pressure on Gen. Noriega to cause him to leave. Whether it will over a period of time--and whether we can wait an extended period of time--is what we are examining.”