Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #837638 in Books
• Published on: 1992-08-15
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In a tense narrative that reads like a spy thriller, longtime Newsweek correspondent Buckley traces ex-Panamanian president Manuel Noriega's ascension to power and his ties to the U.S. government. New afterword.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The author, a former Newsweek correspondent, vividly describes events leading up to the "Just Cause" invasion of Panama by U.S. troops. His book covers the complexities of Panamanian political intrigues, the corruption, the political culture, the involvement of the United States with Manuel Noriega, and the interaction between Noriega and the major domestic and international actors from 1986 through January 1990. Using details and anecdotal information, Buckley fleshes out the motivations and actions of each character, maintaining throughout a sense of suspense and mystery, even for the specialist familiar with the events. Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Roderic A. Camp, Central Coll., Pella, Ia.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
From former Newsweek correspondent Buckley, an intriguing history of the demise of the corrupt Noriega regime--and of America's close relationship with it. Buckley's tale of the rise of Noriega to power is, for Americans, not simply the standard story of Third World despotism. Since its creation by a group of Americans and European businessmen, Panama's domestic and foreign affairs have been dominated by the US. Buckley shows convincingly how Noriega exploited American ties in order to perpetuate his own power within Panama and maximize profit--Reagan Administration officials knew of Noriega's drug activities, but tolerated them because of Noriega's help in their efforts to subvert the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. Buckley describes straightforwardly how Noriega's murder of a political rival, Dr. Hugo Spadafora, led to sensational stories in the American press, an international outcry, calls for Noriega's ouster, and ultimately to a collapse of relations between the US and Panama. Buckley tells also of the plebiscite that resulted in the election of Guillermo Endara, which Noriega invalidated, and of the failed coup attempt. Finally, he describes ``Operation Just Cause,'' the American invasion that resulted in Noriega's ouster but that failed to achieve the Bush Administration's goals for Panama (Bush promised $1 billion in aid, but Congress eventually approved only $420 million, of which only $120 million reached Panama; poverty, unemployment, and crime levels soared in the ruined country) or for Noriega (while Noriega remains in prison, it appears increasingly unlikely he will be punished for any crime. A forthright, fast-paced story that illustrates the frequent absurdity of American intervention in Panama, and the failure of American policy toward that country. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

The creation and destruction of a monster.
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.

Well-rounded Introduction to Topic
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.

An American who was there
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.