George W. Bush's Visit 'Damaging to Panama'

George W. Bush's November 7 visit further separated Panama from its neighbors and 'turns Panama and the Canal into military targets of Washington's enemies.' But 'what else can be expected,' this op-ed article from Panama's La Prensa asks, 'from the visit of a man who is egotistical, dishonest, unscrupulous and incapable?'

By Roberto N. Mendez

November 28, 2005

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Contrary to what some gullible people have declared, the visit of President George W. Bush has only brought Ý- and will continue to bring - damage to Panama.Ý

What else could be expected of Bush, a person who is egotistical, dishonest, unscrupulous and incapable?Ý

Previous events speak for themselves.Ý Above the law and international treaties, he militarily attacked an impoverished and weakened Iraq, justifying his actions with lies.Ý As already has been shown, there were no weapons of mass destruction, neither was there a connection between Saddam Hussein and the terrorist group al-Qaeda; instead of democracy, an absurd theocracy is being erected in Iraq; and given the continuing mass violence, they [the Americans] have failed to promote the human rights of the citizens of that Arab country.Ý

In fact, besides the thousands of people killed and the billions of dollars in damage caused by their military attacks, American forces, with the complete knowledge and approval of George Bush, have tortured, humiliated and murdered a large number of people in prisons like Abu Ghraib, the concentration camp of Guantanamo, and even "secret" prisons administered by the CIA in other nations.Ý

At the same time, corporations favored by Bush and his associates have been enriched, like the Halliburton Corporation and others, some of which have been defendants in the United States itself for exaggerating the costs of the supposed "reconstruction" of Iraq.Ý

The Americans themselves tell the story.Ý A public opinion survey carried out by the ABC Television Network in November revealed that 60% of American citizens "disapprove" of Bush's management of the government; 55% think Bush intentionally manipulated information to convince the public to support the war against Iraq; and 60% consider him "dishonest" and as someone that is "not dependable."

What can one expect when a person like this visits, except negative consequences? Even more so, if one knows that Bush didn't come on a pleasure trip, and neither did he come to help Panama. He came with three very defined objectives.Ý

First, he came to make sure that a generous "slice" of the multimillion-dollar project to enlarge the [Panama] Canal goes to corporate interests that support him, using as leverage a free trade agreement with Panama.ÝThis will mean, when the counting is done, that the cost of the project will be excessively high.Ý

Second, he came to consolidate a military alliance between Panama and the United States, under the guise of the "terrorist threat," but which compounds the dangerous process begun by past governments, including under the Moscoso Administration with the signing of the harmful 2001 Salas-Becker agreement, which turns Panama and the Canal into military targets of Washington's enemies.Ý

[Editor's Note: The 2001 Salas-Becker agreement, initiated by the previous administration of President Mireya Moscoso, was signed on May 12, 2004, and allows U.S. forces to board ships flying the flags of third countries while in Panamanian waters].

And third, Bush came to showcase us as a "well behaved ally" toward him to try and "remold" (at least partly) his damaged image in the United States.Ý By submitting to this political maneuver, the Panamanian Government has isolated itself from the major countries in the region, most of which (excluding Mexico) maintain positions critical of Bush and his politically warlike and one-sided neo-liberalism.Ý

In conclusion, gentlemen rulers, it was a grave error to permit this visit, and it now falls on us to confront the negative consequences.Ý

The author is an economist and professor of economics and finance at the University of Panama.

Spanish Version Below

Visita de Bush fue perjudicial

By Roberto N. MÈndez

Contrariamente a lo que afirman algunos ilusos, la visita del presidente Jorge Bush solo ha traÌdo ñy traer·ñ perjuicios para Panam·.

øQuÈ otra cosa se podÌa esperar de Bush, una persona egoÌsta, deshonesta, inescrupulosa e incapaz?

Sus antecedentes recientes hablan por sÌ solos. Por encima de leyes y tratados internacionales atacÛ militarmente al empobrecido y debilitado Irak, justificando sus acciones con mentiras. Como ya se ha demostrado, no habÌa all· armas de destrucciÛn masiva, ni vÌnculos entre Sadam Husein y el grupo terrorista Al Qaeda; en lugar de democracia, se est· erigiendo una absurda teocracia en Irak; y no se han promovido, sino m·s bien violentado masivamente, los derechos humanos de los ciudadanos de ese paÌs ·rabe.

En efecto, adem·s de los miles de muertos y millonarios daÒos causados por el ataque militar, las fuerzas estadounidenses, con el conocimiento y aprobaciÛn de Jorge Bush, han torturado, humillado y asesinado una gran cantidad de personas en prisiones como la de Abu Graib, el campo de concentraciÛn de Guant·namo, e incluso en prisiones "secretas" administradas por la CIA en otros paÌses.

Paralelamente, se ha promovido el enriquecimiento de corporaciones afines a Bush y sus allegados, como la CorporaciÛn Halliburton y otras, que han sido acusadas en el propio EU de estar cobrando exageradamente por la supuesta "reconstrucciÛn" de Irak.

Lo dicen los propios estadounidenses. Una encuesta de opiniÛn p™blica realizada por la cadena ABC en noviembre revelÛ que el 60% de los ciudadanos y ciudadanas de EU "desaprueba" la gestiÛn gubernamental de Bush; un 55% opina que Bush intencionalmente manipulÛ la informaciÛn para convencer al p™blico de apoyar la guerra contra Irak; y un 60% lo considera "deshonesto" y como alguien "no confiable".

øQuÈ esperar de la visita de un personaje como Èste, excepto consecuencias negativas? Mucho m·s, si sabemos que Bush no vino en plan turÌstico ni para ayudar a Panam·, sino con tres objetivos bien definidos.

Primero, vino a asegurar una generosa "tajada" en el multimillonario proyecto de la ampliaciÛn del Canal para los intereses corporativos que lo apoyan, utilizando como palanca la firma de un tratado de libre comercio con Panam·. Esto significar·, a fin de cuentas, que los costos del proyecto se elevar·n desmesuradamente.

Segundo, vino a consolidar una alianza militar entre Panam· y EU, bajo la excusa de la "amenaza terrorista", con lo cual se acent™a el peligroso proceso iniciado por gobiernos previos, y que bajo la administraciÛn Moscoso implicÛ la firma del nefasto convenio Salas-Becker en 2002. °Lo cual convierte a Panam· y al Canal en objetivo militar de los enemigos de Estados Unidos!

Tercero, vino a exhibirnos como un "aliado bien portado" para con ello tratar de "reencauchar" (asÌ sea parcialmente) su deteriorada imagen en el plano domÈstico de Estados Unidos. Al someterse a esta maniobra politiquera, el Gobierno panameÒo ha quedado aislado de los principales paÌses de la regiÛn, que (excluyendo a MÈxico) mantienen posiciones crÌticas frente a Bush y su polÌtica guerrerista y neoliberal "del embudo".

En conclusiÛn, seÒores gobernantes, fue un grave error admitir esta visita. Nos toca ahora afrontar las consecuencias negativas de esta.