Regime Change through the Drug War by Jacob G. Hornberger!
(2020-04-01 at 13:30:40 )

Regime Change through the Drug War by Jacob G. Hornberger!

The Justice Departments securing of a criminal indictment of Venezuelas president Nicolás Maduro reminds us that when it comes to the United States governments regime-change operations, coups, invasions, sanctions, embargoes, and state-sponsored assassinations are not the only ways to achieve regime change. Another way is through a criminal indictment issued by a federal grand jury that deferentially accedes to the wishes of federal prosecutors.

The best example of this regime change method involved the president of Panama, Manuel Noriega.

Like many corrupt and brutal dictators around the world, Mr. Noriega was a partner and ally of the United States government. In fact, he was actually trained at the Pentagons School of the Americas, which is referred to in Latin America as the School of Assassins. He later served as a paid asset of the Central Intelligence Agency. He also served as a conduit for the United States governments illegal war in Nicaragua, where United States officials were using the Contra rebels to effect a regime change in that country.

But like other loyal pro-United States dictators, Mr. Noriega fell out of favor with United States officials, who decided they wanted him out of office and replaced with someone more to their liking.

The big problem, of course, is the one that always afflicts United States regime-change aspirations: Mr. Noriega refused to go voluntarily.

United States officials knew that it would look bad to simply invade the country and effect a regime-change operation through force of arms. Undoubtedly, they considered a state-sponsored assassination through the Central Intelligence Agency, which specialized in that form of regime change, but for whatever reason that regime-method was not employed.

So, the regime-changers turned to the United States Justice Department, which secured a criminal indictment against Mr. Noriega for supposedly violating the United States of Americas drug laws. The United States rationale was that the United States government, as the worlds international policeman, has jurisdiction to enforce its drug laws against everyone in the world.

On December 20, 1989, the United States military invaded Panama to bring Mr. Noriega back to the United States to stand trial on the drug charges. One might consider the invasion to be one gigantic no-knock raid on an entire country as part of United States drug-war enforcement.

An estimated 23-60 United States soldiers were killed in the operation while some 300 were wounded. An estimated 300-800 Panamanian soldiers were killed. Estimates of civilian deaths ranged from 200 to 3,000. Property damage ranged in the billions of dollars.

But it was all considered worth it. By capturing Mr. Noriega and bringing him back for trial, United States officials felt that they had made big progress in finally winning the war on drugs. Equally important, they had secured the regime change that had been their original goal. At the same time, they sent a message to other rulers around the world: Leave office when we say or we will do this to you.

Mr. Noriega was convicted and received a 40-year jail sentence. When his lawyers tried to introduce evidence at trial of his close working relationship with the Central Intelligence Agency and other elements of the United States national security state, not surprisingly federal prosecutors objected and the judge sustained their objections. Better to keep those types of things as secret as possible.

Alas, Mr. Noriegas conviction and incarceration did not bring an end to the war on drugs, as this crooked, corrupt, failed, and racially bigoted government program continues to this day.

Moreover, as Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro might soon find out., the drug war continues to provide an effective way for United States officials to effect regime change.

Reprinted here with permission from Mr. Jacob G. Hornberger of The Future of Freedom Foundation!! Their Great Website!!