Can someone please explain to me why Noriega was in a US jail

[Matariki]

How is it the George H.W. Bush could order the invasion of a soverign nation and capture and jail the elected leader on DRUG charges? Where was the international community on this? I have never, never understood this.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a1urO_hecwac&refer=latin_america

edit <snip>

U.S. President George H.W. Bush ordered an invasion of Panama on Dec. 19, 1989, citing an ``imminent danger'' to 35,000 U.S. citizens living in the country. As part of the invasion, Bush authorized U.S. forces to arrest Noriega on federal drug- trafficking indictments brought in 1988.

Noriega, who fled to the Vatican's embassy, surrendered on January 3, 1990. He was then flown from Panama to Homestead Air Force Base near Miami. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, according to a 2006 report from the U.S. Department of State.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons says on its Web site that Noriega, locked up (in Miami) for more than 16 years on drug charges, is slated for release on Sept. 9.

[burythehatchet]

1. Once you do criminal business with a Bush

you don't come out well on the other side.

[Matariki]

2. There's definitely a pattern here... n/t

[KansDem]

6. All potential potentates should learn form Noriega and Hussein ...

You don't throw in with the Bush Family and expect to come out unscathed.

[EFerrari]

7. Exactly. He had too much on BushCo.

That's how.

[jaysunb]

3. See , The Godfather Pts 1 & 2

notice what happens when you cross the Don and try to freelance....:evilgrin:

[Matariki]

4. Really, 'jokes' about the bush clan aside

How was this EVER considered legal? in this country or by the international community or court?

Anyone know?

[3121guitarist]

5. Well, what power does the international community have?

They rely on America for all its money and trade, what do you expect. America has a veto in the Security Council, so nothing will happen to us, except for UN finger waving, which they did when we did those terrorist crimes in Central America in the 80s.

Noriega was on our payroll in the 80's, he disobeyed rules and we arrested him later, while we carpet bombed about 2000 innocent panamanians in the process. We own the stick, so we make the rules. Been that way for a long time. Worldwide economic action against us is all they can do, but they can't afford to lose us as clients. It is, in effect, all about the benjamins.

[leftofthedial]

8. kept Noriega from disclosing poppy's role in the drug trade

and meant one less middleman for the bush cabal to split the loot with.

[Matariki]

12. I've always suspected the Bush clan were deep in the cocaine trade

It's a coincidence that they placed two family members as governors of border states where drugs come into the country? Or that whenever one of them gets into office there's a coup in Haiti - a convenient stopping point for drugs coming from South America into Florida?

And of course the whole Iran/Contra debacle.

It always seemed obvious that this was what was *really* going on with Noriega. I just don't understand how the hell they get away with such blatant illegality.

[Cleita]

21. Didn't Bush campaign for Governor of Texas by borrowing

a cocaine dealer's airplane to get around? I think the dealer ended up dead. Also, there was something about * and Jeb getting caught with a shipment of dope at an airport in Florida. They said they were running a sting to catch dope dealers. I'm sorry maybe someone will come up with the original sources. I had them but lost them in a computer crash so I know I'm just rambling.

[Matariki]

26. Thanks Cleita

I hadn't heard about *those* particular items. Remember about what year that was? Man, I'd love to see the original news articles on these. Bet they got buried pronto.

[Cleita]

27. Octafish has the information, however,

I tried to access his journal to see if he has it posted there, but I couldn't get in. Maybe you will have better luck. Since I'm on dial-up, sometimes I have problems getting to different pages.

[Matariki]

28. I found some links googling 'George Jeb Bush Tamiami Airport'

and also found an article entitled: Why Does George W. Bush Fly in Drug Smuggler Barry Seal's Airplane?

I have no doubt the Bush clan is up to their deviated septums in cocaine, but I'm not sure how reliable any of these links are -so I'm not going to post them here.

[Cleita]

31. That's it. Barry Seal I believe is the guy who died. Good work!

I didn't think those stories would still be up.

[blm]

23. Here's the answer

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0511-29.htm

Some Democrats worked their ases off for years to expose BushInc and other Dems come along and cover up for them. What do you think is going to happen in 2008?

[liberal renegade]

9. he knew way to many

of Bush's dirty little secrets. If I remember correctly Bush went after him shortly after becoming president. Just a few tons of cocaine passing thru the panama canal and we can fund our secret little wars without involving congress......

[Porcupine]

10. Um, Red underwear and tortilla flour.....

were documented as being bomb making materials in a terrorist plot against the US.

Help me with the chemistry here; why do the underwear have to be red?

[liberal renegade]

11. What 2 U.S. States

have the most drugs coming across the border? Did u guess Texas and Florida? 2 Bush governors, how convenient. I think they also lead in state sponsored executions. I know, I know, it's just a co inky dinky.

[Matariki]

13. Ah, we think alike.

I posted the same thing (above) at the same time :toast:

[Matariki]

14. For that matter, why was it a Florida jail that housed Noriega?

[peacetalksforall]

15. If you dig a little deeper you will 'learn' that before he got on the

wrong side of bfee he was a partner in 'business'.

[Matariki]

16. So how the hell did the bush clan get so much power?

that they can ignore laws national or international? that they trade in drugs and arms and do whatever the hell they want? how is it that they've had so much control over congress that no one stops them?

[liberal renegade]

17. mind boggling

isn't it.

[liberal renegade]

18. it's no wonder

why G-Dubya had such an appetite for the peruvian flake. I've often wondered how many kilos passed thru his frat house. I'ts too fucking bad he didn't pull a tony montana....

[Matariki]

19. a tony montana?

i'm ignant :shrug:

[baldguy]

20. Tony Montana

[HCE SuiGeneris]

22. If y'all keep asking questions, you might just get

disappeared. BFEE has long tentacles I've heard... :evilgrin:

And somehow they are our "leaders" :puke:

[pitohui]

24. he's in a usa prison because he was tried in a usa court

the rest i don't get

some deal was cut obviously, most FEDERAL (as opposed to STATE) prisoners are not eligible for any significant amount of parole under the so-called truth in sentencing laws

michael moore says we killed 3,000 citizens of panama to capture noriega, to me, the prize was not worth it, i would like each drug dealer in NOLA captured and given 40 years -- but not at the price of killing 3,000 citizens to make ea. capture

something don't compute

this was a war, a real shooting war that killed innocent civilians, we're not just told the truth of it

the only bright side is that the people of panama are a forward looking people and hold no bitterness, a better class of people you will not meet

[Matariki]

25. This whole thing DID violate international law, yes?

a friend of mine tells me he remembers a lot of international outcry, but no one willing to confront the US in any serious way. My memory of '89 is sort of fuzzy. I couldn't remember if there was any international backlash. It was pretty much before the internet and harder to track down foreign press.

[onenote]

29. on the outside chance that someone might actually want to know the answer

to the question posed by the OP, the following court opinion discusses the legal issues surrounding Noriega's arrest and conviction: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/faculty/sklansky/evidence/evidence/cases/Cases%20for%20TOA/Noriega,%20United%20States%20v.htm

And since someone undoubtedly will ask: two of three appellate judges who joined in this opinion (including the judge who wrote the opinion) were appointees of Jimmy Carter, as was the trial court judge in the case.

[Matariki]

30. Thank you SO much. Yes I did want to know the answer.

The info at the link is very interesting.

I wonder about the original '88 drug charge:
"On February 4, 1988, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Florida indicted Manuel Antonio Noriega on drug-related charges."

Isn't it unusual to charge a foreign person of any status with drug charges? Was the indictment for drug related charges occurring in the US? For smuggling drugs into the US? I still don't get it. Was there any sort of precedent for this?

And do you happen to know about the international reaction to any of this? Did it violate international law as a friend of mine claims it did?