Though the surrender of toppled Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega enables Americans to heave a collective sigh of relief, there are still plenty of difficult days ahead for the United States.
The best thing about Noriega's surrender is that it should speed the withdrawal of American military forces from Panama.This development also ends a period of strained relations between Washington and the Vatican, which could not unilaterally turn Noriega over to the United States without violating the principle of sanctuary - a principle that cannot be impaired without endangering the rights of innocent victims of repression. Throughout this trying period, the Vatican and its representatives in Panama acted with great prudence and sensitivity.
By ending any hopes that protracted guerrilla warfare might restore Noriega to power, his arrest and return to the United States for trial on drug charges should make it easier for the new civilian government of Panama to get a firmer grip on that country and start restoring stability.
Moreover, Noriega's arrest enables President Bush to claim complete success for the bold but risky exercise of U.S. military muscle in Panama.
Despite all these gains, there still could be a steep price to pay for this success.
The first challenge is to follow through on Bush's promise that Noriega will get a fair trial in the United States. Because of all the adverse pre-trial publicity Noriega has received over the past two years, it won't be easy to select an impartial jury to hear the drug charges against him. But the American judicial system is used to dealing with highly controversial, well-publicized cases and doing so even-handedly.
The next challenge will be to keep Noriega's attorneys from using this case to put the United States on trial instead of the ousted dictator and to try to pry embarrassing secrets out of Washington.
The potential for embarrassment lies in the fact that Noriega was once on the payroll of the CIA, which previously was headed by President Bush. But for Noriega's attorneys to succeed in such an effort, they must convince a court that the disclosure of CIA records on Noriega is germane to the drug charges against him and essential to his defense - a task that won't necessarily be easy.
Moreover, Washington is not without leverage that could be used against any efforts to turn the Noriega trial into a circus. The present drug charges could result in a lengthy prison term for Noriega, though not the death penalty. But it's too soon to rule out the possibility of other, more serious charges against Noriega. And if prosecutors see the drug trial being turned into a charade, they would have extra incentive to keep digging into the material found at Noriega's captured headquarters in Panama for evidence of more serious charges against the former strongman.
As time goes by, then, Americans and this country's critics could have increasing reason to wonder if the U.S. invasion of Panama was worth the price. When such questions arise, remember how Panama reacted Wednesday evening to the news of Noriega's arrest.
When word of Noriega's surrender spread, scenes of jubilation broke out. Horns began to honk and fireworks went off around Panama City. People yelled and laughed. Groups of youngsters raced up and down the streets, waving both Panamanian and U.S. flags.
That scene and the reasons for it should tell the world all it needs to know about the ultimate wisdom of the U.S. incursion into Panama in pursuit of not just a suspected international criminal but of responsible self-determination for the people of Panama.