Interesting book; some of it a bit on the tall tale side, but amazing nonetheless.
Posted on 10/01/2009 9:33:23 AM PDT by mormonsniper
Panama agrees to host two U.S. naval bases
MEXICO, September 27 (RIA Novosti) - Panama will sign before October 2009 a treaty with the United States on the opening of two U.S. naval bases on its territory, a senior Panamanian government official said on Sunday. According to Panama's La Prensa newspaper, a preliminary agreement was reached between Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during recent talks in New York. "The U.S. and Panama will sign before October 30 an agreement on the deployment of two naval bases on the pacific coast of our country to fight international drug-trafficking," said Minister of Government and Justice Jose Raul Mulino.
(Excerpt) Read more at panama-guide.com ...
You are correct, my memory is faulty.
Many ex-patriot Navy & Marine still live there after being separated or retired.
BTW, as Rush reminded us today, the Dear Leader never bothered to visit the flood-stricken areas of 'American' Georgia.
I imgaine they are opening Amador and Colon.
Many years ago we lived at Albrook AFB; I’ve heard that the houses are painted in all sorts of pastels and party colors now.
Oh boy! We built it and protected it and Carter gave it away. This is a start.
I lived at Howard AFB as a child from ‘76 through ‘78. I remember when Jimmy Carter came in to negotiate the Panama Canal Treaty and how all of the military folks despised him. Last year, I cashed in my airline miles and went to Panama for the first time in 30 years. (I tried to get assigned there when I was active duty but was sent to the Azores instead.) It was a great trip. I was delighted went I went to the same Napoli Pizza parlor I used to go to as a kid. That was the best pizza I ever had because of the fond memories I had of that place. There is a beautiful mall and large bus terminal at the former Albrook AFB. It also serves as a regional airport to supplement the Tocumen International Airport. You can see a bus with the word Albrook on it in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. The scenes from “Bolivia” were filmed in Casco Viejo and the “Haiti” scenes were filmed in Colon. In fact you can see the ships lining up to enter the canal in one of those scenes.
I was in the Hooters and there were 5 or 6 guys who were obviously US military, in civilian clothes. Most of the younger Americans you see there are backpacker types who smell like they haven’t bathed in a week. They were very suspicious of me and insisted they weren’t in the military. I don’t know what they were hiding, but it was obvious to me. Usually, military guys are very friendly and know that people can identify them. A few years ago, I had a good time drinking some beers with some Navy guys who came into the Hooters in Singapore. There are even pictures of their ships posted around the restuarant. Panama is a nice country and it’s good we have a chance to defend the strategic location of the Canal that America took so much trouble to build.
“I imgaine they are opening Amador and Colon.”
They are using 2 pacific-coast locations both hundreds of miles from panama city. I have never even heard of either location.
“I’ve heard that the houses are painted in all sorts of pastels and party colors now.”
i dont think I ever took a picture but there was one duplex 3-br unit that had one owner paint their side brightyellow, and the other owner paint their side blue (yes, BLUE!). This is with the rest of the buildings untouched, same rust-painted rails and tile and what-not. It is the single most screwed-up impression of the remodeling on former bases I have or remember.
“This is with the rest of the buildings untouched,”
should be ‘building’ as in the building that is yellow and blue.
Interesting book; some of it a bit on the tall tale side, but amazing nonetheless.
However, as I am president of Navy League Panama Council, I will have some insights over the next few weeks that others may not have. Will be calling my Embassy contacts tomorrow about this for clarification.
Hutchinson Whampoa manages, repeat, manages, port facilities at either end of the Canal.
“BTW, for all those who think the USA just gave away the Panama Canal, it was actually a matter of a treaty ending, thanks to Carter and subsequent Presidents who didn’t fight to extend it...”
Your source for this wrong info is?
The treaty was in perpetuity. Carter gave it back. There was no end date.
Pinas is the location of Tropic Star Lodge. I know one of the owners. He played a key role in the rescue of Kurt Muse during Just Cause.
The revision to this story is that the Panamanians are building bases for their own Maritime units. It might be that US ships come in for supplies or something, but as for a US flag down here, I don’t think so.
The drug traffic volume is getting larger on the Pacific side.
No room at either end. Colon is too packed. Amador is a tourist area now.
You are correct about Albrook but most of the homes are very tastefully remodeled. I haven’t seen one that is really that ugly as a matter of fact. A friend of mine is on the homeowner’s association. They do a great job fighting the nonsense that sometimes happens.
Too bad for your cheer leading, I spent two weeks there a few months ago, driven/escorted through the Gatun Locks daily by a dual-citizenship fellow that pointed out the decay. I suspect he knows quite a bit more than you, having been born and living there 60+ years.
The locks looked like rusted shiite to my eye. He confirmed they were totally left to rot, that never when the US ran the Zone was rust to be seen anywhere.
The total decay of all the buildings (other than the refurbished university/hotel) was quite apparent. He told me how the 26 years since the zone was turned over have been a joke, with little to nothing done by the Panamanian government to do shiite. To be honest, they may not have the resources, dunno, and do not give a shiite, not to the point. Point is that the place is decaying.
I saw it, spin away, had a local educate me. Whoever you are, I got the straight scoop, not whatever you are peddling..........
Your hyperbole and spin on your other reply aside, you are correct on this.
I did ask, while waiting to cross Gatun, about the ChiComs running the Canal. Response was no way, Panamanian owned and run.
That from a lifelong US citizen born in the Zone and granted dual citizenship by General whatshisname back when.............
was NO rust to be seen anywhere.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.