The U.S. and Panama Relationships since the End of the Cold War
The USA and Panama relationships after the Cold War started with the invasion of the USA into the country. This was the first large-scale force of the USA non-connected with the Cold War. The main reason of such invasion was the overturn of the authoritarian leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega, “a corrupt dictator heading an efficient narcomilitaristic regime in Panama” (Gilboa, 1995, p. 539).
The USA did not plan to provide military operations in the direction of Panama. Trying to warn, convince, beg, etc., the USA wanted to cope with the task by means of peaceful negotiations.
However, Manuel Antonio Noriega did not want to stop harmful actions, therefore, the USA desired to act. Nevertheless, the USA just wanted to give a lesson to the Panama leader and the force invasion was just the means for warning. However, the ac t was not that successful as the USA thought.
After this measure, Panama was not of the high opinion of the USA. The USA was expected to learn a good lesson “after the damage of bureaucratic infighting and miscommunication was evident in the Panama and the Gulf crises” (Gilboa, 1995, p. 540).
The U.S. and Panama Current Relationships
Sullivan (2011) characterizes the current relationships of the USA with Panama as “extensive cooperation on counternarcotics efforts; support to promote Panama’s economic, political, and social development; and a proposed bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) that was signed in 2007” (p. 14). The free trade agreement between these two countries brings much advantage of the both parties of the deal.
The USA offers great financial support for the development of the Panama business. The USA and Panama conduct many security operations together. The relationships between these two countries are rather friendly, however, these relations are based on a number of treaties and agreements which are signed officially.
Panama is unable to cope with drug trafficking and money laundering, there fore, the USA offers its assistance in such questions. The USA is interested in dealing with the issue as the USA remains one of the main markets for Panama drugs due to the appropriate geographical location.
Obama exclaimed to develop the labor and tax policy to make sure that the relationships between Panama and the USA are correctly signed. Therefore, Panama citizens have an opportunity to work legally on the territory of the USA with the minimum required documents and other legal issues.
Panama Canal has always been the issue for discussion between the USA and Panama. However, the recent treaties have been developed where the Panama Canal remains the property of Panama, however, the USA has an opportunity to use it in military purposes whenever it needs.
The U.S. and China Current Relationships
The end of the Cold War presupposed that great changes are going to be completed in the configuration of the international relations. The USA shifted its interest from the European countries into the Asian ones. It should be mentioned that China has become the focus of the USA due to its rapid development.
The USA understood that China is going to enter the world economics in the nearest future and the friendly market relationships with this country would bring good profit.
Of course, the USA could not expect that everything would go straight, as “China’s involvement in international institutions, norms, and regimes in the near future” (Islam, 2006, p. 24) as well as the USA policy in the direction of China was to be the main issues for relationships development.
Nowadays, the relationships between the USA and China remain relatively stable. Even though China is far from democratic regime and the USA does not really appreciate such relations, still, the USA and China develop friendly relationships at the international; arena where the USA tries to make China a responsible stakeholder (Nagao, Yoshizaki, Sato, & Okagaki, 2000, p. 29).
Contrast and Comparison of the Two Relationships
Looking at the development of the USA relationships with Panama and China, it may be stated that nowadays, the USA tires to remain friendly to other countries. The post Cold War period was complicated and the USA needed much attempt and diplomatic strength to understand which relations deserve attention and which ones are to be a failure.
The Panama and China are two countries which relationships with the USA after the Cold War developed differently, however, the current relationships are similar. The USA is the country which tries to control others in their development and gaining democratic issues, and Panama and China are the countries which remain under the USA control.
China is independent from the USA, however, the USA does all possible to change the regime in China applying to the economical and political measures. Panama is the country which developed its relations with the USA through force invasion.
Nowadays, the relations are friendly, however, Panama experiences some control from the side of the USA. Therefore, it may be concluded that having different post Cold War relationships, the USA develops its ties with such countries as Panama and China similarly.
Works Cited
Gilboa, E. (1995). The Panama Invasion Revisited: Lessons for the Use of Force in the Post Cold War Era. Political Science Quarterly, 110(4), 539-373.
Islam, A. K. (2006). The post-cold war U.S.-China relations: win-win or zero-sum game. Asian Affairs, 28(2), 24-45.
Nagao, Y., Yoshizaki, T., Sato, H., & Okagaki, T. (2000, 1 March). Post-Cold War International Society and U.S.-China Relationship. NIDS Security Reports, pp. 1-56.
Sullivan, Mark P. (2011, 11 May). Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations. Congressional Research Service, pp. 1-33.