Years before the US went after Saddam Hussein, the White House had
Manuel Noriega, another former ally, in its sights. In their
Oscar-winning documentary, director Barbara Trent and writer/editor
David Kasper (Cover Up: Behind the Iran Contra Affair) contrast media
coverage of the 1989 invasion with expert testimony. The filmmakers
backtrack to America’s turn-of-the-century takeover of the Panama
Canal–and volatile aftermath–before flashing forward to the
reform-minded Carter era. When the CIA-supported Noriega comes to
power, reform gives way to repression, and Reagan calls for the
dictator’s ouster. His successor, Bush, brings in the troops. It would
be one thing if they only targeted military facilities, but witnesses
claim soldiers also fired on civilians and residential property (a
Pentagon spokesman denies the accusation). Depending on the source,
casualties ranged from 250 to 4,000. Narrated by Elizabeth Montgomery,
Panama Deception was shot on video–and looks it–but content is king.
