Operation Nifty Package

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Operation Nifty Package
Part of the United States invasion of Panama
Noriega is escorted onto a U.S. Air Force MC-130E Combat Talon I[1] by agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Marshals Service
Date 20–23 December 1989 Location Panama City, Panama Result American victory • Manuel Noriega captured
Belligerents
United States	Panama
Commanders and leaders
Cmdr. Tom McGrath Cmdr. Norman J. Carley Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Toohey	Manuel Noriega
Strength
52 SEAL operators	unknown 1 gunboat
Casualties and losses
4 killed 9 wounded	unknown ground forces 1 Learjet 35A destroyed 1 gunboat sunk 3 soldiers killed 8 wounded carried off

Operation Nifty Package was a United States Delta and Navy SEAL-operated plan conducted in 1989 designed to capture Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. When Noriega took refuge in the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See (diplomatic quarter), deafening music and other psychological warfare tactics were used to convince him to exit and surrender himself.

The United States claimed that after ten days of psychological harassment, the Papal Nuncio (ambassador) Monsignor Laboa had threatened to revoke Noriega's sanctuary if he didn't surrender to the United States, although Laboa insisted that he had made no threats of revoking the right of asylum under the Church, but had used his own "precisely calibrated psychological campaign" to force Noriega's departure.^[2]

Although the operation was successful, National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft would later point to the psychological harassment of the Papal Nuncio as "a low moment in U.S. Army history", noting that their approach had been silly, reproachable, and undignified.^[3]