U.S. Forces Invade Panama, Oust Noriega Regime

Noriega’s fall from grace was predictable. He knew where all our Administration’s skeletons were buried. The Panama invasion has to be seen in the larger context of a grotesquely bizarre United States foreign policy toward Central America in this century. These Latin nations are treated not as sovereign states but as witless peasants. For a hundred years we have invaded them at will, always under the pretext of saving them from themselves.

In fact, our attitude is racist at heart. We act this way in no other part of the world. As Europe, Russia, and the rest of the civilized world move into an era of enlightened and humane foreign policy this Christmas, our State Department’s vision in Central America continues to resemble a pact with the devil.

RICHARD PEACOCK

Del Mar