There was that one time...

The repressive opera-loving military leader Manuel Noriega had holed himself up in the Vatican's embassy in Panama City, after President George Bush Senior invaded Panama.

Noriega was facing a US indictment for drug-trafficking, as well as claims he had rigged the 1989 election.

The embassy was surrounded by US troops, but he refused to give himself up.

The US army decided to use psychological warfare - by blasting a wall of sound non-stop outside. A fleet of Humvees mounted with loudspeakers rolled in, and rock music rolled out.

The troops' playlist came care of the Southern Command Network, the US military radio in central America. It featured hits picked for their irony value, including I Fought The Law by The Clash, Panama by the Van Halen, U2's All I Want Is You, Bruce Cockburn's If I Had A Rocket Launcher, Guns'N'Roses Welcome to the Jungle and Sympathy for the Devil by The Doors, among others.