[extropy-chat] Re: Meta: Too far [Operation Just Cause: Panama]

[Mike Lorrey]

--- The Avantguardian <avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- "Terry W. Colvin" <fortean1 at mindspring.com> wrote:
> 
> > The Panama Canal is less vital than in past decades
> > but still important 
> > to world
> > trade.  The anarchists and do-nothing idealists
> > would have us do nothing.
> > What maroons!
> > 
>  I agree that it was very strategically important for
> us to maintain control of the Canal Zone despite
> having promised to return it to Panama in 1990. 

Actually, it was returned in 1999, though the process began in 1990.
This return was the result of Carters 1977 treaty with Torrijos. The
original 1903 treaty I believe was a 999 year term.

> But
> why couldn't the Bush (yeah it was a Bush then
> too)administration have just come out and said, "We
> need the Panama Canal and Noriega can't be trusted to
> control it?" Instead of "Noriega caters to drug
> traffickers through his country." The lie just makes
> me feel dirty for doing the right thing.

Well look at what has happened since then: Chinese companies now
control both ends of the canal, and China is using it to ship tanks,
Migs, artillery, and small arms weaponry to Venezuela in quantities ten
times larger than is needed by Venezuelas army.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com