Bush buys land in Paraguay.... Why? Any thoughts?

[Windy]

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={EBA55617-2676-4091-ABBC-20650EB6FEE1}&language=EN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bush Buys Land in Northern Paraguay

Buenos Aires, Oct 13 (Prensa Latina) An Argentine official regarded the intention of the George W. Bush family to settle on the Acuifero Guarani (Paraguay) as surprising, besides being a bad signal for the governments of the region.


Luis D Elia, undersecretary for the Social Habitat in the Argentine Federal Planning Ministry, issued a memo partially reproduced by digital INFOBAE.com, in which he spoke of the purchase by Bush of a 98,842-acre farm in northern Paraguay, between Brazil and Bolivia.



The news circulated Thursday in non-official sources in Asuncion, Paraguay.



D Elia considered this Bush step counterproductive for the regional power expressed by Presidents Nestor Kirchner, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Evo Morales, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro.



He said that "it is a bad signal that the Bush family is doing business with natural resources linked to the future of MERCOSUR."



The official pointed out that this situation could cause a hypothetical conflict of all the armies in the region, and called attention to the Bush family habit of associating business and politics.

[Wonk]

1. dupe thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2402395

[savemefromdumbya]

36. When is he leaving the US for good?

sooner the better

[Lautremont]

2. Some old family friends said it was nice and safe there.

[whistle]

3. German Nazi war criminals fled to Paraguay after WW II ended

...so shrub* is going to be with his people. There must be some sort of occult evil energy field in that part of the world. Nazi war criminals and their families and their money has been protected down there for over 60 years

[Ken Burch]

11. Sort of reminds me of a line from YELLOW SUBMARINE

(At the end of the story, when John, Paul George and Ringo had helped Old Fred defeat the Blue Meanies and restore the glory of Pepperland)

Chief Blue Meanie: Max...it's not a Blue world world anymore, Max...Where shall we go?

Blue Max: ...Argentina?...

(Chief Blue Meanie slaps Max on the head...)

[soothsayer]

33. Colonel Peron sings about retiring to Paraguay in Evita

before she urges him to run for president

[Webster Green]

4. Nazi hideout..

The BFEE will fit in nicely.

[whistle]

7. The Nazis will eat Condi alive if she puts foot down there and tries

...to rise above house servant

[babylonsister]

5. Because that's where lots of war criminals wind up?

Because that's a big enough plot of land to hide from his/their enemies?

[Richard D]

6. Godwin's law

prevents an answer.

[yorkiemommie1]

8. doesn't Rev Moon own land there?

i thought it was about water rights?

[eagler]

39. Yes

http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/moon1.html

[apnu]

9. He needs some wood! (I couldn't resist) (eom)

[Mendocino]

10. Coca plantation?

[Spinzonner]

12. What kind of extradition treaties does Paraguay have ?

[Monkeyman]

13. If your asking can he hideout there yes

[Phredicles]

19. Maybe the Gore admin. will be able to work something out w/ them?

[roody]

14. They want to be closer to the mountains they plan

to ruin? http://www.miningwatch.ca/index.php?/Argentina/Barrick_opposition

[sam sarrha]

15. so he can escape the Hague and live with the other Nazi's hiding there..

[MADem]

16. Hedge against the dollar crashing? If you're in the FOOD business

(ranching, farming) it's a good biz to be in when economies crash. People gotta eat, even if they can't afford the latest flat TV or iPod or what have you....

[Nolo_Contendre]

17. Boys from Brazil

Rent the movie and find out.
http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?movieid=328185

[confuddled]

18. Here's a few thoughts in an interesting article.

Found this January 2006 article interesting at the time and even more so now:

www.politicalaffairs.net/article/view/2479/1/140/

"The Bush administration has sent troops into Paraguay. They are
there ostensibly for humanitarian and counterterrorism purposes. The action coincides with growing left unity in South America, military buildup in the region and burgeoning independent trade
relationships."

snip

" In December 2004, the Bush administration canceled $330 million in economic and military aid to 10 South American countries. They were being penalized for turning down a US request for granting its
soldiers immunity from prosecution for crimes they commit within the countries’ borders.

On May 5, however, the government of Paraguay took the bait. It
signed an agreement authorizing an 18-month stay, automatically
extended, for US soldiers and civilian employees. The previous limit had been set at six months. On May 26, in a secret session,
Paraguay’s Congress passed legislation protecting US soldiers from
prosecution for criminal activity, both within Paraguay and by the
International Criminal Court."

So, what do you make of this turn of events?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. Hmm, centrally located Paraguay becomes staging area for

invasions of uppity Latin American countries? (Theory #1)

Paraguay has a history of hiding Nazi war criminals. Maybe some Bush family friends have invited him to come down there to escape if he's extradited to The Hague. (Theory #2)

[BrotherBuzz]

27. Theory #1 has a lot of merit

Dark Armies, Secret Bases, and Rummy

by Conn Hallinan

November 24, 2005

<snip>

But there is nothing amusing about an enormous U.S. base less than 120 miles from the Bolivian border, or the explosive growth of U.S.-financed mercenary armies that are doing everything from training the military in Paraguay and Ecuador to calling in air attacks against guerillas in Colombia. Indeed, it is feeling a little like the run up to the ‘60s and ‘70s, when Washington-sponsored military dictatorships dominated most of the continent, and dark armies ruled the night.


U.S. Special Forces began arriving this past summer at Paraguay's Mariscal Estigarribia air base, a sprawling complex built in 1982 during the reign of dictator Alfredo Stroessner. Argentinean journalists who got a peek at the place say the airfield can handle B-52 bombers and Galaxy C-5 cargo planes. It also has a huge radar system, vast hangers, and can house up to 16,000 troops. The air base is larger than the international airport at the capital city, Asuncion .

<snip>

“Privatizing” war is not only the logical extension of the Bush administration's mania for contracting everything out to the private sector; it also shields the White House's activities from the U.S. Congress. “My complaint about the use of private contractors,” says U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsy (D-IL), “is their ability to fly under the radar to avoid accountability.”

<snip

Would the United States try to destabilize Bolivia's economy while training people how to use military force to insure Enron, Shell, British Gas, Total, Repsol, and the United States continues to get Bolivian gas for pennies on the dollar? Quite likely.


And would the White House like to use such a coup as a way to send a message to other countries? You bet. President Bush may be clueless on geography, but he is not bad at overthrowing governments and killing people.


Will it be as easy as it was in the old days when the CIA could bribe truckers to paralyze Chile and set the stage for a coup? Nothing is easy in Latin America anymore.

<more>

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=HAL20051124&articleId=1322

[redacted]

32. And Bush IS military, as Commander in Chief, so he gets immunity

from prosecution for criminal activity, both within Paraguay and by the
International Criminal Court.

Moreover, what is Jenna doing having dinner there with Paraguay's head of state? Talking about UNICEF? Doubtful.

This is absolutely astonishing. I would infer that some sort of secret deal was cut to pump US dollars into this poor country's economy, through military base construction, in exchange for legislation protecting Shrub from prosecution.

A sitting President is apparently making plans to flee the United States with his family. This is quite remarkable.

[bloom]

40. wow

The Bushes must be worried.

[BeHereNow]

20. Connect the dots, friends.

http://dominionpaper.ca/accounts/2005/09/23/us_militar.html
BHN

[peacetalksforall]

21. Now I know -my intuition IS on target. I've been wracking my brain

wondering why Rev Moon bought millions of acres of land in Paraguay, why U.S. military bases were allowed to be built under the guise of terrorist crossing Brazilian/Argentinian borders), why Bechtel tried to own the water of Bolivia, why Paraguay has the largest or second largest fresh water aquafir on the planet, why, why, why. The only thing I could come up with when contemplating the crimes of this regime - is - they were going to have to protect themselves when they finally succeed in destoying this country, by nuclear ruination or financial ruination or by civil war ruination or religiou ruination. My guiding question through all of this was - where do people with cargo ships full of wealth go to be safe?

This news about the Bushes, if true, does not bode well for Argentina and other neighboring countries. Paraguay is landlocked. There is too much yet to be figured out.

Water, water, water - more important than oil. Especially when the salty stuff takes over.

[earth mom]

31. Thanks for connecting the dots...

:scared:

[soothsayer]

34. the water wars are about to begin (or are already raging behind

our backs). Water rights are being bought up all over the place.

[amandabeech]

23. I wonder what Laura and the twins think about this.

Laura wants a nice house in Dallas so she can be near her friends and enjoy some shopping. I've read that she doesn't like the ranch.

Jenna needs a place where she can make a fool of herself and get intoxicated in public. I'm sure that Paraguay offers those amenities. And its something that she and her dad can do together!

Actually, I heard that the new ranch was going to be in Costa Rica.

[earth mom]

30. Jenna is already in South America.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062900070_pf.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6137005,00.html

[amandabeech]

37. So where did she get her abortion?

I heard it was either S. America or Europe.

[jmowreader]

35. Laura doesn't factor into this

I think that the BFEE has told Laura that if she tries to divorce him while he's still pResident, he will be America's first president to become a widower while in office.

But the Monday after a legitimate president is sworn in, she will be on the plane to Reno to get rid of his sorry ass. This way, she can live in Dallas near her friends and shopping, and Dubya can go into hiding.

Haven't I been telling you guys Bush is going to flee the country?

[amandabeech]

38. I hope that she does get rid of him.

You're not the only person saying that Georgie will hide from international justice. Or American justice if the puck bounces that way.

[aaronbees]

24. Outsourcing the administration?

Is this where BushCo runs in Air Force One next time we're attacked? Setting up his next business venture/republic?

Seriously, though, it does seem rather strange for a sitting president to do this.

[Odin2005]

25. Going to go retire with your Nazi buddies, eh George?

[bdamomma]

43. I'm surprised bush isn't going to visit his friend Ken Lay.

[catzies]

44. Thread over. You win.

Perfect. :rofl: and :tinfoilhat:
;)

[Justice Is Comin]

26. O geez now you poor people are going to have your country stunk up.

We're going to do our best to prevent it though and give him a detour to the Hague.

[w4rma]

28. Paraguay does seem to have a history of harboring Nazi war criminals.

It's a fitting retirement for Bush.

[K8-EEE]

29. Aren't Poppy & Rev Moon trying to buy up a lot of fresh water

in So. America and other parts of the world, as part of an effort towards world domination (seriously!) If you control water you control everything...

[shance]

41. Interesting article about longtime Paraguay ruler forced into exile

Longtime Paraguay ruler forced into exile

Chicago Sun-Times, Aug 17, 2006

Alfredo Stroessner, the canny anti-communist general who ruled Paraguay for decades with a blend of force, guile and patronage before his ouster in 1989, died in exile Wednesday. He was 93.

(snip)

Mr. Stroessner seized power in a 1954 coup and through fraud and repression held it for 35 years to become one of Latin America's longest-ruling strongmen.

Finally ousted by his own generals, Mr. Stroessner remained hated by many in Paraguay, where he was accused of repression and human rights violations, even though some stalwarts credit him for big public works projects that modernized the country.

A staunch U.S. ally, Mr. Stroessner made Paraguay a refuge for some Nazi war criminals among 200,000 Germans he sheltered after World War II.

Mr. Stroessner also sheltered fellow right-wing dictators, including Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua.

"Stroessner didn't have any problem giving refuge to people with blood on their hands," said Aaron Breitbart, a senior researcher at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. "His death is no loss to democratic values in Paraguay."

Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte said there were no plans to honor him.

He rigged his re-election every five years after his 1954 seizure of power and brought Paraguay into the modern age, transforming a stagnating, politically tumultuous country with open sewers and no running water, even in the capital, into a relatively prosperous and modern nation.

Paraguay sought for years to question Mr. Stroessner about the "disappearances" of his opponents. Human rights activists say his regime was a key part of "Operation Condor," a network of right- wing military governments, secretly supported by U.S. intelligence agencies, that repressed leftist dissidents across South America in the 1970s and early 1980s.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060817/ai_n16641084

[bdamomma]

42. I would love to hear Keith Olbermann's take on this

maybe someone should e-mail article to him.