Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: ferguson@maitai.src.honeywell.com (Dennis Ferguson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Panama
Message-ID: <12698@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 2 Jan 90 02:48:00 GMT
References: <12604@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Honeywell, Systems & Research Center, Camden, MN
Lines: 44
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: ferguson@maitai.src.honeywell.com (Dennis Ferguson)

In article <12604@cbnews.ATT.COM> shaig%shum.Huji.AC.IL@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (Shai Guday) writes:
>
>
>With all the news from Rumania, the situation in Panama has not
>been covered as extensively as it might otherwise have been.
>
>The impression I have received is that the invasion did not accomplish
>its military objectives of:
>1. Capturing Noriega.
>2. Removing him from the political/military arena in Panama.
>
With Noriega in the Papal Nuncio, Noriega is effectively removed from
the political/military arena in Panama.  Whatever one's opinion about
whether the US should have gone into Panama, it appears the military
operation was a tremendous success.  Look at the reports (facts?):

    o  The US successfully invaded another country with 24,000 troops
       and lost only 24 men.  A training exercise of this magnitude
       could easily have cost 4-6 killed.  The military is a dangerous
       business.

    o  The operation was performed at night and all of the key objectives
       were taken before morning.  The execution of the invasion was
       flawless, especially since the troops were flown in from bases
       approximately 1000 miles away.

    o  According to the news reports, Noriega was never in command of
       of the PDF.  What is incredible is how Noriega screwed up by 
       declaring war and then  not preparing for it.  Once again the
       value of surprise is shown in a military operation.

    o  Noriega has effectively been neutralized by seeking sanctuary
       in the Papal Nuncio.

I think the media will ultimately dismiss the action as the big superpower
stepping on a banana republic that couldn't adequately defend itself.
Considering the destructiveness of modern weapons in the hands of determined
men (or women) I shudder to think of how it might have turned out.

Dennis