Episode 501: Operation Just Because Pt 3 of Summer Series 2025

Show Notes Episode 501: Operation Just Because Pt 3 of Summer Series 2025 This week host Dave Bledsoe drunkenly demands someone liberate him from the tyranny of paying for his own drinks only to find the pee of liberty can only be watered with cash from drunk podcasters. (Again) On the show this week Summer Series 2025 continues with the Most Expensive Drug Raid in History, the US invasion of Panama in 1989. Along the way we learn why Dave never made it to the military major leagues (he was fat, drunk, slacker). Then we dive into a brief history of Panama, from Spanish Empire’s dream of the shortcut to the Pacific, to the French dream of a short cut to the Pacific to the Americans saying fucking, we’ll dig our way to the Pacific. (and kill a bunch of people doing so!) Then we meet Manuel Antonio Noriega, Panamanian military officer, CIA asset and drug kingpin and how finally stopped being useful to the CIA. (Reagan left office) Then we learn how George HW Bush got sick of Manny’s shit and launched a legally dubious military action to arrest (and prove to America he wasn’t a wimp!) Our Sponsor this week is Blue Spoon Military Marketing, make the most of your illegal invasion with a catchy Operation Name to rally the folks back home with Blue Spoon!  We open with Poppy Bush explaining why we have to invade Panama and close with Patty PerShayla who sings about Panama. Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense The Show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatthehellpodcast.bsky.social The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/ The Show on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ The Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehellwereyouthinkingpod/ Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/kHmmrjptrq Our Website: https://www.whatthehellpodcast.com Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast The Show Line: 347 687 9601 Closing Music: https://youtu.be/6sHNd_2F0es?si=dW9olPdwnrR5Gy5h Buy Our Stuff: https://www.seltzerkings.com/shop Citations Needed: Operation Just Cause https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/History/Monographs/Just_Cause.pdf How Manuel Noriega surrendered to the sanity-destroying power of mallrat music https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2017/may/30/noriega-panama-music-playlist Music To Annoy Dictator and Priest With https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VGlbfQvcSXggt2r2gYrun?si=fsfY_Sp0T76XakOPKTz7CQ Bush plays only some cards right https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1990/01/23/bush-plays-only-some-cards-right/ The Noriega Case: Public Opinion;   Panamanians Strongly Back U.S. Move https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/06/us/the-noriega-case-public-opinion-panamanians-strongly-back-us-move.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices