5. Panama
In 1989, the U.S. launched Operation Just Cause to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega from power. The invasion was swift, involving more than 27,000 American troops and advanced weaponry. Washington cited Noriega’s drug trafficking and threats to U.S. citizens as reasons, but the strategic value of the Panama Canal remained central. Unlike earlier, often quieter interventions in Central America, this operation was highly publicized and controversial. Ultimately, it reaffirmed the canal’s importance and reshaped U.S.-Panama relations for decades to come.
