Consent To Disaster:1977 Panama Treaties

The American-built Panama Canal, product of American engineering genius, will be owned and operated by Panama by the year 2000, under terms of the 1977 Treaties. Then, Panama can invite Cuba, Nicaragua, the Soviets or any other country to operate this strategic waterway. This paper offers substantial evidence of unconstitutional treaties obtained illegally in forcing possible fraud upon the U.S. Senate for its "advice and consent"-and upon the American people. Panama's secret counter-reservation made possible the Carter-Torrijos Treaties. Further exacerbating the situation is the unstable and corrupt dictatorship of Guardia General Manuel Antonio Noriega, who maintains close ties with Cuba and the Nicaraguan Communist Sandinistas in transshipping munitions. Even more important than the Canal is the integrity of the Constitution, as well as U.S. interests in the Caribbean. Solutions are offered looking towards sound constitutional policy and assertion of legitimate defense rights over the Canal-which is not yet lost.