SECTION I
INTRODUCTION
This research examines United States (US) national secur ity in the context of the application of economic sanctions against the Republic of Panama in 1988 and 1989. The topic is examined through (1) a brief review of the history of American Panamanian bilateral relations, (2) an assessment of the poten tial effects on Panama of economic sanctions, (3) an examina tion of approach of the United States government toward the use of economic sanctions, and (4) the results achieved by the United States through the application of economic sanctions against Panama. The final section of this research presents a statement of the conclusions drawn from the findings of the research.
HISTORICAL REVIEW OF AMERICAN PANAMIAN
In the process of throwing off the Spanish yoke more than 150 years ago, the territories of northern South America and southern Central America formed the country of Gran Colombia (Meditz, and Hanratty, 1989). The territory of the contempor ary state of Panama was a part of the Panama Department of Gran Colombia.
The people who lived in the Panama Department had, or at least displayed, no strong sense of national identity at that time. Political opportunists, however, attempted, for per sonal financial gain, on three occasions to establish an independent state in Panama (Meditz, and Hanratty, 1989).
The opening of the American west brought new pressures to Panama, because a safer, quicker, and cheaper transport route from the American east to the American west was desired. At this time, American commercial interests obtained a license from the Colombian government, and established a Caribbean to Pacific railroad over a route which approximates the location of the present day Panama Canal (Meditz, and Hanratty, 1989). A canal was desired even at this early date, but construction was deferred for a number of reasons. The America...