Review of The Panama Deception (1992) by Jim H — 06 Oct 2011

This documentary explores the hidden agendas behind the U.S. invasion of Panama.

Watching this documentary now, I couldn't help but draw one-to-one parallels between its subject and the wars in Iraq. All three wars were surrounded in lies and presented to the American public devoid of context and history. And this documentary meticulously picks apart those lies, giving us a history of a region we rarely think seriously about. The parallels I draw between then and now are probably inappropriate and simplistic, but my gut reaction can't be too far off. And when the narrator states that Panama was the training ground for the first Iraq War, I couldn't help but think, "In more ways than you could ever know." I vaguely remember the invasion of Panama; it was when I was still young, believing that we were always the good guys. And even now, in the age of Obama, who at one time convinced us to be optimistic and proud again, I watch this documentary hoping that things have changed, that the public relations branch that presents victims of our attacks as grateful has been dissolved, but then I wake up.

Overall, I think this is an astounding film, one that is required watching for all people who think about voting with the seriousness that it deserves.