Observing Manuel Noriega's political journey from paid CIA agent and ally of the American government, to military governor of Panama, to ousted dictator, to convicted American prisoner, a series of facts come to light political interactions that culminated in Operation Just Cause on December 20, 1989. Occurring in the shadow of the fall of the Berlin Wall and preceding Operation Desert Storm, this brief military action is often overshadowed by other world conflicts of the time. How can a country the size of America justify invading the small Panamanian isthmus? How can a dictator like Manuel Noriega justify declaring war on the United States? Given the large disparity between these two nations, understanding these questions can help interpret their nature. To answer these questions, the events leading up to the violent confrontation help establish each nation's political position and offer insight into its justifications for engaging in military action. Theories of the realist and Marxist political perspective can be used by analyzing at different levels the justification of the armed action involving these two nations. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Manuel Noriega was an asset to the United States as he worked closely with the Central Intelligence Agency. (The associated press). In the early 1980s, as Noriega's political strength increased, so did tensions with the Reagan administration. These growing tensions led to increasing encounters between Noriega's Panamanian Defense Forces and American military and civilian personnel stationed in Panama (Phillips). According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, “there have been over 300 cases of American military personnel and family members experiencing…half of paper…including removing Noriega and his regime from power and reestablishing a democratic government, which may be justifiable from the American point of view, but the 20,000 displaced Panamanian citizens may not agree (Phillips). So the justification is subjective only to one's perspective. Works Cited Mingst, Karen A. Essentials of International Relations. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2008. Operation Just Cause. 06 April 2012. Phillips, R. Cody. “Operation Just Cause: The Raid in Panama.” : American troops gain broad control in Panama." The New York Times December 21, 1989. Associated Press. Key dates for former Panama dictator Manuel Noriega. April 27, 2010. April 7 2012 .