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From: illgen@hq.af.mil (Keneth..Illgen)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Panama
Message-ID: <12857@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Jan 90 02:19:42 GMT
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From: illgen@hq.af.mil (Keneth..Illgen)


I wrote...
>
>   >2. Removing him from the political/military arena in Panama.
>
>	If you can explain to me what influence he still holds over the
>   political/military arena then I might believe this statement. The fact that
>   he is still alive keeps him in the public eye but he holds no influence
>   over events in Panama.

rdh@sli.com wrote...

>You mean, like Khomeini had no influence over events in Iran? Just because
>he got booted out of the capital/country/government/etc. certainly does
>*NOT* nullify his capability to cause much continuing grief and aggravation
>to all parties concerned. Even locked up in a [U.S.] prison, he could still
>potentially wield tremendous influence, let alone if he was running around
>free in some sanctuary, 'fer instance, Cuba.

     Hypothetically he could run a secret army from his soon to be
(hopefully) prison cell in Marion, IL. So NO, I don't mean 'like
Khomeini had no influence over events in Iran.' Of course he did. 
Khomeini and Noriega are very different animals so don't bother with
the forinstances. My ststement was based purely on Noriega's power
within the constraints of his present position. Now that he's in
Miami I am more confident that he holds little, if any power. Being a
cult figure to some goons who used to work for you doesn't give you
political power. Having the purse strings and the red-line to the
military does.

[mod.note:  Um, I think that pretty well covers this topic. No
military technology here...   - Bill ]