Aha. My first thought was that trying to seize the Panama Canal would be crazy — it would be incredibly vulnerable to sabotage by a hostile population. Fallows confirms, and says that *the US military* was eager to give it to Panama fallows.substack.com/p/panama-is-... - ThreadSky

pkrugman.bsky.social • 131 days ago

Aha. My first thought was that trying to seize the Panama Canal would be crazy — it would be incredibly vulnerable to sabotage by a hostile population. Fallows confirms, and says that *the US military* was eager to give it to Panama https://fallows.substack.com/p/panama-is-back-in-the-news-that-can

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consensus-reality.bsky.social•130 days ago

Quite the article..The watershed—let’s hope it survives .

davethemagnificent.bsky.social•131 days ago

A few ounces of C4, properly placed, would be enough to blow up the whole thing.

leftcoastgin.bsky.social•131 days ago

Lets just negotiate the Chinese out.

jfallows.bsky.social•131 days ago

"The Chinese" is a HK-based private company that runs the logistics on each side of the Canal. FWIW.

leftcoastgin.bsky.social•131 days ago

James, do you think there is/was a real concern about propaganda and spying.?

jfallows.bsky.social•131 days ago

Merci.

This makes the tariff plan seem "reasonable" and "reality-based."

richardroysterlpc.bsky.social•131 days ago

Isn’t that the point!? BTW, thanks for your work!

jtmunk.bsky.social•131 days ago

Correct me if I’m wrong. I recall that the Swiss had mined all the Tunnels under the Alps, vital connections between Germany and Italy. Snd this was one reason Hitler did not invade Switzerland

boboinparadise.bsky.social•131 days ago

Ntm long vulnerable logistics

dbc105.bsky.social•131 days ago

I remember Reagan ran partly on the Panama Canal till he took office and found out why Carter gave it to Panama. Of course Trump can't read so he has no idea what History says, he only knows that he would not have to charge Russia and China for using it.

dwblue.bsky.social•127 days ago

It's more about creating wedge/culture war issues that get his fan base emotionally riled up with feelings of victimhood. It diverts from real issues & portrays him as some sort of ultra patriot.
The whole of Trump's MO revolves around victimhood.

roberts44163082.bsky.social•131 days ago

Perhaps Reagan, having one view, spoke to people who had knowledge of the issue and changed his mind. Trump doesn't seek other viewpoints and doubles down if someone says he's wrong.

dbc105.bsky.social•131 days ago

Maybe partly, what I had read was that the Military, mostly the Joint Chiefs, explained it to Reagan.

ricst.bsky.social•131 days ago

Is Trump just waiting for the Panama government to cut him in on the Canal transit fees?

ngc2903.bsky.social•126 days ago

"Three Body Problem" demonstrates a horrifying way to take out ships coming through the Canal.

babyfatt.bsky.social•131 days ago

Plus, it’s not like if any thing actually threatened American interests via the PC in any way we wouldn’t immediately control it anyway.

marcsobel.bsky.social•131 days ago

Still points to Senator Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, (R CA 1977 to 1983, remarking during his 1976 Senate campaign, "We should keep the Panama Canal. After all, we stole it fair and square."

Republicans these days have lost the shreds of humor they had.

trumprussiaties.bsky.social•127 days ago

I remember that day.

canuckinpanama.bsky.social•131 days ago

I live in Panama. Panama could close the canal with a press release. It is completely indefensible against a hostile population and an invading force would never be able to leave the canal area. I spoke to a very well-armed Panamanian businessman last week. He said: “if they take it, we’ll fight”.

steelejim.bsky.social•131 days ago

He is going to take it by force if necessary. Much if his speech was dedicated to preparing America to be on a war footing. The signs have been there for months. Every sociological precursor to war has been checked off now.

welladriansays.bsky.social•131 days ago

https://newrepublic.com/post/189654/trump-organization-tax-evasion-panama

hollymbj.bsky.social•131 days ago

Give him Panama City Beach. He won’t know the difference.

kevincarson1.bsky.social•131 days ago

Panama Canal Lawn and Garden

thegreatduggo.bsky.social•131 days ago

Firstly, it's just flat out fucking wrong - there was an agreement in place so by international law this is illegal. That's it. Everything else is just fuckery.

kinperry.bsky.social•126 days ago

Jimmy Carter knew this back in the 1970's and he got the Senate to come around and approve the bill that transferred the canal by sharing this truth.

mobypinball.bsky.social•131 days ago

Here's where I remind all Panama was created when the US staged a military takeover in 1903 and the country was wrenched from Colombia after the latter rejected a treaty to build the canal. There were other factors, of course, and I'm all in favor of Panamanian sovereignty, but them's the facts

mobypinball.bsky.social•131 days ago

The treaty that ceded the Panama Canal Territory to the United States was signed by a Frenchman, and no Panamanian was involved in the negotiations. The US agreed to pay a rent of $250,000 a year. So, yeah, there's that, too.

trumprussiaties.bsky.social•127 days ago

They (the US) paid that annually until 1949, when it was raised to …wait for it …$2.9 million annually …until the handover.

For a strip of prime real estate 10km wide by 58 km long. That’s KILOMETERS. With a functioning, profitable canal running down its middle.

Fair, it was not.

castor1096.bsky.social•131 days ago

Perhaps this is his true target
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-panama-canal-threats-hotel-taxes-court-filing-2005079

beaccountable.bsky.social•131 days ago

A long drought will also cause problems.

tweetghost.bsky.social•130 days ago

Just trump's F@rt if the Steal BS AGAIN : Make the President fear 2 get Him 2 back channel a "Special Cut Rate" to trump's liking.Then trump can scream "Foul They broke the treaty conditions of fair tariffs without
partiality" & therein annull the treaty whereby Canal control must be returned!👎💔

caryopter.bsky.social•131 days ago

Maybe the Panama Canal is to Trump as Grenada was to Reagan. The powers decided to "just give it to him."

trumprussiaties.bsky.social•127 days ago

That is correct; I WAS THERE.

My friends in the Canal Zone all thought it was high time Panamá took over. The last 20 years before the handover, the US government ITSELF stopped issuing bonds for projects to maintain the canal, in anticipation (they wouldn’t pay off by a proposed handover date)!

mjk4mj.bsky.social•131 days ago

Trump is determined to make allies (Panama) into enemies and is absolutely determined to raise the price of consumer goods.
January 2024: "Freight Costs Rise as Houthi Attacks Disrupt Global Shipping" https://www.voanews.com/a/freight-costs-rise-as-houthi-attacks-disrupt-global-shipping/7426890.html

mjk4mj.bsky.social•131 days ago

Trump campaigned on being a dove (if I remember correctly he railed against 'forever wars'). I don't recall him promising to invade Panama during the campaign. The cost of war in Panama; the US lives that will be lost, ships attacked and infrastructure attacked. Price of goods goes up.

remydejesus.bsky.social•131 days ago

Come on be honest with yourself. You know full well you can’t believe anything that comes out of Trump‘s mouth. Follow the money and chances are Panama is purely a personal economic issue for him and has nothing to do with American foreign policy.

mjk4mj.bsky.social•131 days ago

Mexico's train route that connects the Pacific and Atlantic (will be used for cargo). "Tren Interoceánico en el Istmo partiendo del puerto de Salina Cruz Oaxaca" https://youtu.be/dawXizwFsD4?si=3Zq3-NSUZV9j-juY

Wall Street Journal: https://youtu.be/NMDCKpmc-uo?si=uJCzIWUOikjO7CMx

mjk4mj.bsky.social•131 days ago

I listened to it many years ago, it is good. Audible is part of Amazon so I wouldn't use Audible.
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781442342149-path-between-the-seas

jfallows.bsky.social•131 days ago

Yup, Carter read that book during Treaty negotiations

On 1978 Carter trip to Panama to formalize agreements, I sat next to McCullough (a wonderful man) on the plane down — and also my good friend Robert Pastor, who was central in the deal.

Jesse Helms later blocked Pastor as ambassador to Panama

elsid704.bsky.social•131 days ago

I took a class with Robert Pastor at Emory. Wonderful teacher.

pocono.bsky.social•131 days ago

Cnn did a good piece

https://youtu.be/-7SnBk1nPzs?si=t6CY3Seft7dVGR-6

ihorgowda.bsky.social•131 days ago

Fallows always knows what's what

dccdsm.bsky.social•131 days ago

Well I say we had the coronation of King liar today and is quart of ass kissers, had to miss it so I could watch a rerun or Gunsmoke. Good luck America.

allisonitqueen.bsky.social•131 days ago

He doesn't care about whether it is maintainable. Only his theory and threats and invasion. Putin Expansionism is at work here.

rod-davison.bsky.social•131 days ago

I suspect that there will be some eye opening briefings given to Elon, I mean Trump, about what a disaster it would be for his public image to try and execute a total shit show like taking over the canal, and then maintaining it.

averywisemann.bsky.social•131 days ago

We live in the Drone Age now.

da-jay-swizzle.bsky.social•131 days ago

jdschwartz.bsky.social•131 days ago

First rule of politics - never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

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