OPINION:
President-elect Donald Trump is right to demand the return of the Panama Canal (“Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama’s president balks at the suggestion,” web, Dec. 23).
The Isthmian Canal Convention of 1903 gave the U.S. the “use, occupation, and control” of the Canal Zone “in perpetuity.” President Jimmy Carter and the proponents of his Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 lied, saying U.S. rights ended in 1999.
The canal cost the United States $375 million to build ($8.3 billion in today’s money). Panama had no right to charge the U.S. tolls in the first place; as the operator, only the U.S. had the right to charge tolls.
Panama is also in violation of the treaty by not defending the canal’s neutrality and instead handing rights over to China. In 1996, China was given a concession from Panama to operate the ports at either end of the canal and now effectively controls the canal.
Mr. Trump correctly complained that Panama is overcharging the U.S., which is the largest user of the canal, followed by China.
Under the Monroe Doctrine, the U.S. has the right to prevent China from operating any part of or interfering in the Panama Canal.
China is the biggest hypocrite in the world because it always says the U.S. should mind its own business in Asia — while it interferes in the Americas.
Panama is tied to China’s flooding the U.S. with spies. In the past 18 months, more than 55,000 Chinese migrants have crossed the U.S. border illegally from Mexico.
After the U.S. returns as the rightful operator of the Panama Canal, it can then terminate Li Ka-shing’s Hutchison Whampoa’s illegal port contracts for Balboa and Cristobal.
ANDREW DELANEY
St. Louis
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