At the end of 2024, in Panama you surely breathed calmer.
As soon as the new year starts, the enclave has gained an unusual geopolitical importance. While the country has stressed that “its” channel is a neutral territory, Donald Trump’s statements and China’s movements They put the focus on a space and their crossroads between two global powers. It is possible that it does not pass from rhetoric, but if finally the United States tries to “invade” the territory, history reminds us that there was already a similar event with music to every pill.
Invasion to Panama: pumps and rock. In December 1989, United States launched the so -called Operation Causa Causaa massive military invasion in Panama with the aim of overthrowing the dictator Manuel Noriega. With an overwhelming demonstration of war power, Washington sent 26,000 soldiersbombarded parts of the city of Panama and finally submitted Noriega through an unpublished psychological war tactic.
Context: The American friend. Noriega had been A strategic ally of the United States during the Cold Warserving as a CIA informant about drug trafficking and regional issues. Despite his links with organized crime, Washington tolerated him for years due to his usefulness in the fight against communist influence in Latin America.
However, in the late 80s everything changed, and its growing autonomy and the possibility of shaking ties with the Soviet Union began to worry the White House. Although Noriega was accused of drug trafficking and electoral fraud, the murder of an American soldier for Panama’s defense forces was the perfect pretext that triggered the invasion. The administration of George Bush decided that it was time to actdespite the opposition of agencies such as the CIA and the DEA, which still saw in Noriega a valuable source of intelligence.
Operation Cause. Panama’s invasion was a disproportionate force display. Panamanian defense had just 3,000 soldiers with light weaponswhile the United States deployed furtive airplanes, helicopters with artillery and thousands of marines and army troops. The American offensive devastated entire sectors of the city of Panama, with a balance of hundreds of dead and scenes of bodies shattered through the streets.
Historians tell that the brutality of The invasion was influenced by the so -called Vietnam Syndromea doctrine that prioritized the use of overwhelming force to avoid long and expensive interventions such as Vietnam. To seal the capture of Noriega, the Navy destroyed her yacht and her private jet, eliminating any escape route.
And the decibels arrived. After the US invasion of Panama, Noriega took refuge in the Vatican Embassy in Panama Cityrefusing to surrender despite the presence of American troops surrounding the building. As international law prevented them from entering the building, the United States Army implemented an unprecedented psychological war strategy to break their resistance: They installed speakers in military vehicles and began bombing the area with a sound wall without stopping.
The repertoire, carefully selected by the military station Southern Command Network, included songs with ironic messageslike I FOUCHT THE LAW OF THE CLASH, PANAMA DE VAN HALEN, ALL I WANT IS YOU OF U2 AND IF I HAD A ROCKET LAUNCHER DE BRUCE COCKBURN. And above all, the two -band classics: Guns N ‘Roses (Welcomo to the Jungle were heard dozens of times) and The Doors.
The thunderous sound was such that the Holy See formally protested against tactics, which led to music after three days without stopping. By then, Noriega (who was also an opera lover) had already undergone extreme psychological pressure. On January 3, 1990, he finally delivered.
Torture or tactics? US military forces have always defended the practice, arguing that musical torture is a non -lethal technique that, like sleep deprivation, does not leave permanent physical sequels. However, former detainees have testified otherwise.
I counted a while ago to the BBC Binyam Mohamedformer prisoner of Guantanamo, to have endured 20 days of music at full volume, including The Real Slim Shady by Eminem and Forgot About Dre by Dr. Dre, causing several detainees to lose their reason. Another prisoner, Haj Ali, described how he underwent the constant repetition of the Babylon phrase … Babylon … Babylon … by David Gray, until he feels that his head was going to explode.
In this regard, organizations such as Amnesty International consider that musical torture is a form of inhuman and degrading abuseprohibited by the UN and the European Court of Human Rights. According to expert Sara Macneice, This technique has nothing to do with music In its traditional sense, it is a sound assault designed to intimidate and break the victim psychologically.
Consequences and legacy. Yes ok The fair cause was a strategic success for the United Statesthe international community condemned the violation of Panamanian sovereignty and the brutality of the attack. The invasion left between 500 and 4,000 deadaccording to different sources, and the destruction of entire neighborhoods such as Chorrillo.
Political level, Washington adopted Panama’s invasion as a model for future interventionsinfluencing the military doctrine used in Iraq, Afghanistan and the so -called war on terrorism. That said, its impact on national sovereignty and international law remains a matter of debate.
It was the day that it was shown that bombs are not needed to bend the enemy, and that Even music can be an instrument of war.
Image | Carlos Varela, Nara, LLS