TerriBull
I'm just wondering if there was the same worldwide condemnation of George Bush Snr. back in the late 80s when Noriega of Panama was captured and flown to the US, Subsequently went on trial. Similar circumstances, but for the life of me I can't remember the furore around it, I imagine there must have been one.
Indeed, a furore, and massive US lies/corruption.
"https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=why+was+the+US%27s+involvment+with+Noreiga+controversial&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
"The United States' involvement with Manuel Noriega was controversial primarily because the U.S. had a long, transactional relationship with him, overlooking his well-known criminal activities for decades until he was no longer a reliable asset for U.S. foreign policy goals. This history created several layers of controversy:
Prior Knowledge of Criminality: U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA (which George H.W. Bush once directed), were aware of Noriega's involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and human rights abuses from as early as the 1970s. Instead of prosecuting him, the U.S. paid him as a valuable intelligence asset during the Cold War to help combat Cuban and Soviet influence in Latin America and assist the Contras in Nicaragua This made the later "war on drugs" justification for his removal seem hypocritical to critics.
Shifting Justifications: The U.S. government shifted its public rationale for intervention from Cold War regional stability to a "war on drugs" and the restoration of democracy when it became politically expedient to do so. Critics argued the U.S. only turned against Noriega when his brutal behavior became an international embarrassment and he became an unreliable partner, potentially threatening the security of the Panama Canal."
And more.
Civilian Casualties
"Civilian Casualties and Due Process:
The invasion resulted in significant Panamanian civilian casualties and extensive property damage, raising ethical questions about the use of military force for what was essentially a law enforcement operation to capture a single individual
Furthermore, Noriega's trial in Miami was criticized because the court prohibited his defense from presenting evidence about his extensive work for the CIA and his payments from the U.S. government, leading some to characterize the trial as a "show trial" designed to conceal embarrassing details of past U.S. covert operations.
