You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
-Short Attention Span Theater-
31 years ago, Delta Force pulled off its first successful hostage rescue, saving a CIA operative from an enemy prison
2020-12-30
[Bus Insider] On the night of December 20, 1989, the US invaded Panama to overthrow dictator Manuel Noriega.

This small-scale conflict was full of special operations — some of them successful, others not — involving Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Green Berets.

But it was also the first time that Delta Force successfully completed a large-scale hostage rescue.

Historically, the US had a turbulent and colorful relationship with Noriega. He had been a longtime CIA associate but was also known for drug trafficking.

After the Iran-Contra operation was exposed, Noriega's utility to the US diminished.

As relations between the two countries deteriorated, Noriega went on the offensive, arresting Kurt Muse — a CIA operative who owned a publishing company in Panama — on espionage charges and threatening to execute him.

Noriega kept Muse in the squalid and overcrowded Modelo Prison. The prison was in downtown Panama City, close to the Comandancia, which was Panama's Pentagon, and within sight of US Southern Command headquarters.

To make matters worse, Noriega told Muse that he would be killed on the spot if there was a rescue attempt. To back up his threat, the Panamanian strongman ordered a guard be outside Muse's cell at all times, tasked with killing the American in the event of a rescue operation.

On December 16, Panamanian troops attacked a civilian vehicle carrying four American officers going out for dinner, killing one and wounding another. Operation Acid Gambit was a go.
Posted by:Besoeker

#4  "Historically, the US had a turbulent and colorful relationship with Noriega. He had been a longtime CIA associate but was also known for drug trafficking."

By which they mean he dealt drugs with the full approval of the US government. Our people suffered so that the CIA could make money to play its games.
Posted by: Elmung Hatrack5948   2020-12-30 14:45  

#3  Go Army! Always army.

[sung in rap style]

Treading through debris,
pounding the sand,
bringin' it to ya,
now talk to the hand.

Low tech, hi tech,
welcome to my 'tech'.
Blooper, STABOs,
EBRs with SOPMOD.

The grease is coming,
ready or not,
you're f#ckin' done
when the man sends the SFOD.

Tra la la la la ♫







Posted by: Dron66046   2020-12-30 10:04  

#2  Bar None, the Greatest SF group of Soldiers of this Earth. I worked in the (___-IMO group 1988-1993).




Posted by: NN2N1   2020-12-30 09:54  

#1  

Before




Recently

Good Luck Patriot, Happy 2021 to You.
Posted by: Flomoper Glailing7613   2020-12-30 09:29  

00:00