George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

There can be no doubt that Noriega's dealings with the Reagan-Bush administration were
very intense. According to Panamanian turncoat Jose Blandon, Noriega frequently
travelled to Washington for secret private meetings with CIA Director William Casey
during 1982-83 and the year following. Noriega also met somewhat later with Bush's
Iran-contra point man, Oliver North. [fn 32] According to Noriega's CIPA submission,
Noriega was introduced to North on a cruise down the Potomac by US General
Schweitzer, the director of the Inter-American joint military group. According to
Noriega's CIPA submission, North had been drinking heavily and talked in an animated
fashion about the problems encountered by the contras. "North was particularly
concerned with allegations that had surfaced connecting the contras with narcotics
trafficking." "North urged Noriega to do whatever he could for the contras. During this
meeting North claimed that he was in charge of all operations in central America having
to do with the contras and that he was working directly for Reagan and Bush. Although
North asked for help he did not say exactly what he wanted. North did tell Noriega that if
at any time he needed to talk to North that Noriega could just call him at the White
House." [fn 33]
According to Noriega's CIPA proffer submitted in preparation for his trial in Miami,
"from around August of 1985 through September of 86 Noriega repeatedly received
emissaries from Oliver North. One was Humberto Quinones. Quinones attempted to
ingratiate himself with Noriega and repeatedly used Reagan's and Bush's names.
Quinones said that the contras are not fighting very well and requested that Panama come
to the aid of the contras."
Later, at the end of the summer of 1985, Noriega met with North and Secord in London.
North demanded that Noriega use Panamanian commandos to conduct operations against
the Sandinista regime. "Noriega just listened" and did not agree to cooperate. [fn 34]
This was all denied by the Bush campaign through spokesman Steve Hart, but a photo
exists of Bush meeting with Noriega in Panama City in December, 1983. Don Gregg was
also on the scene. This meeting was also attended by Everett Briggs, then the US
Ambassador to Panama. During the previous months, Noriega had repudiated the policy
of supporting the Nicaraguan contra rebels which the Bushmen had successfully sold to
Reagan as his leading obsession. Noriega had done this by declaring his support fo the
Contadora group, which thus emerged as an alignment of Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia,
and Panama, and which advocated a plan for pacification and the restoration of national
sovereignty in Central America as a whole through the interdiction of gun-running, plus
the removal of foreign advisers and bases. According to Briggs, Bush may have sought
Noriega's diplomatic support for the US position in the region. But Briggs denies that
Bush was also looking for Panamanian military support against the Sandinistas.
According to the Bushmen, Bush's pourparler in Panama was devoted to a "privileged"
talk with the President of Panama, Ricardo de la Espriella, who was also present at the
meeting. [fn 35] But Noriega was clearly the dominant figure on the Panamanian political
scene.