I agree with that, but it doesn't take away that giving the canal to Panama was a gift. One might argue a deserved gift, since it's Panama's territory, but it was a gift nonetheless. Panama wouldn't necessarily exist as an independent country were it not for US imperialism and constructing that canal in the first place.

However, the Noriega business would have the death of Panama had it not been for the US intervention. That was some necessary tough love for Panama.

You're right though that, at the end anyway, the canal zone was holding the country back. In the early days it may have been different. It's tough to say.