With Manuel Noriega in prison for now, here's a detailed summary of his U.S. relationship

[MarshalltheIrish]

Manuel Noriega - from US friend to foe

As with Saddam Hussein, Noriega enjoyed American support until he turned into a wayward ally who had to be overthrown

Before Saddam Hussein there was Manuel Noriega. Like Saddam, Noriega enjoyed US support until he turned into a wayward ally, then an embarrassment, and finally an "imminent danger" who had to be overthrown.

Noriega was recruited as a CIA informant while studying at a military academy in Peru. He received intelligence and counterintelligence training at the School of the Americas at Fort Gulick, Panama, in 1967, as well as a course in psychological operations at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was to remain on the CIA payroll until February 1988.

After a military coup in 1968, Noriega quickly rose through the ranks and became head of Panama's military intelligence and a key figure under General Omar Torrijos, the military ruler who signed a treaty with the US to restore the Panama canal zone to Panamanian sovereignty in 1977.


Whole article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/27/manuel-noriega-us-friend-foe

[dchill]

1. George Herbert Walker Bush.

Need I say more?

[MarshalltheIrish]

2. I despise him for the Panama invasion alone

Killing and maiming thousands of innocent people to oust a dictator whose activities were conveniently ignored by our government for years...and to get himself some street cred (Remember the "wimp" insult?). Not to mention how flagrantly illegal the operation was.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Noriega, Saddam, Diem -

Castro, Chavez.

The object lesson here is you live longer by being an avowed enemy of the CIA than by being their friend.

[MarshalltheIrish]

4. Damn true

[EFerrari]

5. The CIA has no friends, just disposable assets. n/t