Wonkette
Our paranoid friends over at Bring It On have put together a story that hasn’t exactly made Washington Whispers. It’s real short and real simple:
- The Cuban news service reports that George W. Bush has purchased 98,840 acres in Paraguay, near the Bolivian/Brazilian border.
- Jenna Bush paid a secret diplomatic visit to Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte and U.S. Ambassador James Cason. There were no press conferences, no public sightings and no official confirmation of her 10-day trip which apparently ended this week.
- The Paraguayan Senate voted last summer to “grant U.S. troops immunity from national and International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction.”
- Immediately afterwards, 500 heavily armed U.S. troops arrived with various planes, choppers and land vehicles at Mariscal Estigarribia air base, which happens to be at the northern tip of Paraguay near the Bolivian/Brazilian border. More have reportedly arrived since then.
What the hell, after the jump. Plus a BREAKING UPDATE involving, of course, The Moonies!
Now, Prensa Latina is a Cuban-government operation that is not exactly friendly toward Washington, what with Washington trying to kill Castro for 50 years and all.
But Prensa Latina didn’t invent the story. It’s all over the South American press — and not just Venezuela and Bolivia.
Here’s a version from Brazil.
Here’s one from Argentina.
And here’s one from Paraguay itself.
As far as we can understand, all the paperwork and deeds and such are secret. But somehow the news leaked that a new “land trust” created for Bush had purchased nearly 100,000 acres near the town of Chaco.
And Jenna’s down there having secret meetings with the president and America’s ambassador to Paraguay, James Cason. Bush posted Cason in Havana in 2002, but last year moved him to Paraguay.
Cason apparently gets around. A former “political adviser” to the U.S. Atlantic Command and ATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, Cason has been stationed in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama … basically everywhere the U.S. has run secret and not-so-secret wars over the past 30 years.
Here’s a fun question for Tony Snow: Why might the president and his family need a 98.840-acre ranch in Paraguay protected by a semi-secret U.S. military base manned by American troops who have been exempted from war-crimes prosecution by the Paraguyan government?
Here’s a little background on the base itself, which Rumsfeld secretly visited in late 2005: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.BREAKING, UPDATE, LITTLE SIREN GRAPHIC:
Some 500 special forces arrived July 1 for a three-month counterterrorism training exercise, code named Operation Commando Force 6.
Paraguayan denials that Mariscal Estigarribia is now a U.S. base have met with considerable skepticism by Brazil and Argentina. There is a disturbing resemblance between U.S. denials about Mariscal Estigarribia, and similar disclaimers made by the Pentagon about Eloy Alfaro airbase in Manta , Ecuador. The United States claimed the Manta base was a “dirt strip” used for weather surveillance. When local journalists revealed its size, however, the United States admitted the base harbored thousands of mercenaries and hundreds of U.S. troops, and Washington had signed a 10-year basing agreement with Ecuador.
We’ve been directed to yet another parapolitical theory here at Rigorous Intuition, where it is reported that Rev. Moon bought 600,000 hectares — that’s 1,482,600 acres — in the same place: Chaco, Paraguay.
Another twist: The first story, from Paraguay, apparently refers to the senior George Bush as the owner of the 98.840 acres in Moon’s neighborhood.
Bush 41 was the first bigshot politician to go prancing around with Rev. Moon in public. Especially in South America:“In the early stages of the Reagan Revolution that embraced the Washington Times and Moon’s anti-Communist movement, it was embarrassing to be caught at a Moon event,” wrote The Gadflyer last year. “Until George H.W. Bush appeared with Moon in 1996, thanking him for a newspaper that ‘brings sanity to Washington.’” That was while on an extended trip to South America in Moon’s company. A Reuters’ story of Nov 25 of that year describes the former president as “full of praise” for Moon at a banquet in Buenos Aires, toasting him as “the man with the vision.” (And Moon helped Bush out with his own vision thing, paying him $100,000 for the pleasure of his company.) Bush and Moon then traveled together to Uruguay, “to help him inaugurate a seminary in the capital, Montevideo, to train 4,200 young Japanese women to spread the word of his Church of Unification across Latin America.”Isn’t that special?
Oh, and both the Moonie and Bush land is located at what Paraguay’s drug czar called an “enormously strategic point in both the narcotics and arms trades.” And it sits atop the one of the world’s largest fresh-water aquifers.
Bush Family-98,842 acres and a Mule [Bring It On]
Bush Paraguay Land Grab Incites Unease [Prensa Latina]
Comments
jenna bush on a diplomatic errand? oooo-kaaay...what, was barney unavailable?
Ok, so I speak enough spanish to get the point, but I babelfished it anyway. Here's a wonderful, wonderful sentence that Tony Snow should commit to memory immediatley.
"It was not possible to obtain a version of the spokesmen of the referred foundation, in spite of the telephone calls that we made to the seat of the organism."
Beautiful.
His post-presidency is really going to suck. Good.
A place to hide the missing gold from under the World Trade Center perhaps?
Maybe W. wants to get a little more "hands-on" with the new torture guidelines.
I'm with dave tws ont this one. Sending Jenna Bush on a diplomatic mission is even more ridiculous than giving Karen Weldon a million dollar lobbying contract.
Maybe this is the awesome plan with which Senator Burns was teasing Tester Tuesday.
Good heavens, sending one of those trashy daughters on a diplomatic/military mission? That undermines the credibility of the story right there.
If Jenna caught a whiff of an alcoholic drink or thought she saw a young, ultra conservative stud who worships Daddy, she'd be off on a bender and the super secret mission would be ignored.
Wouldn't it be easier to get Texas to grant him immunity?
Latin America has a long tradition of political exile.
Good lord, I know we have our problems, but if Texas stoops so low as to give that Yankee cheerleader immunity, I will eat my boots.
Texas elected the man governor, immunity can't be far behind. You might need to buy a couple of extra bottles of A-1 to get those boots to go down.
Hey, isn't that where cocaine comes from?
The Argentinian Télam pointed out that this enormous base is in a zona estratégica of the Guaraní Aquifer.
Probably part of securing the water now before the wars begin.
Una sorpresa (c)Octubre! Prepara por la invasión de Venezuela!
Okay so Venezuela is actually really far away, I just wanted to use Cocktober Suprise in a sentence in spanish.
Also I'm curious if they've made any declarations under Article 21 and 22 of the Geneva Convention since 97?
Remember, George W. was a lazy drunken cokehead, but the Family even found work for him, eventually.
Jenna's 24 now, has apparently been a teacher for a couple of years, and was sent to Latin America a few months ago to be Latino-ized ... just like Jeb was back in 1971.
Anyway, I've never seen any announcement of what specific country she moved to, or what kind of teaching she would do, etc.
And now she shows up in Paraguay having private meetings with the president and the U.S. ambassador. It may "undermine the credibility of the story," but it happened.
Here's the AP story right here.
On the Bolivian border? Sounds like somebody is building a camp to safely stash Noelle and Jeb Jr. during the next presidential race.
You can Google Maps the base if you type in "Mariscal Estigarribia, Paraguay"...and the satellite images are very good. P.S. I'm awesome.
Supposing this is actually true and not some weird disinformation campaign: Is the deed to the land actually in Bush's own name? Did the US taxpayer foot the bill?
October surprise: Bush announces GITMO will close, Paraguay offers "asylum" to "released" prisoners. It's not torture if you've (been) disappeared. The truthiness is out there...
Please Terry, A-1? While "A-1" is a fun to say in French (go ahead, try it!) ...I only eat boots with salsa.
The Argentinian article mentions that the base is located near the Guaraní Aquifer and claims that is one of the reasons for it. The Wikipedia article on the Acquifer mentions the base as well. It also references a lengthy article from last year on the new base and military move:
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/2991
The base's proximity to Bolivia where the new socialist leader has close ties Hugo Chavez -- who we all know doesn't get along well with Bush.
"Sheeeet, I'll set up my own dang secret prison with that money Kenny-boy stashed away for me in Switzerland-stan or whatever."
I just did the Google map thing. Good Lord, that's a BIG runway.
On the subject of a certain trashy daughter, I really shouldn't be surprised W would send her out on a mission. She's got qualifications at LEAST as good as most of his cronies, uh, appointees.
On A-1 vs salsa as a boot condiment: Honey, that leather is weathered. You're going to need a strong flavor to overcome the odor of feet and a slipperier consistency than a fine salsa can deliver. I might consider changing my recommendation to 40 weight, given the Texas angle and all.
"Seat of the organism..."...All I can think of is Jenna's
Lots of brush to clear!
Yes, that's a big runway, but there isn't even a taxiway, much less hangars, fuel tankage, parking areas, etc. Looks less imposing than what's left of Everglades International in Florida. And no sign in the vicinity of housing for 16,000 troops. Unless the plan is to drop them off with tents and plenty of shovels to dig latrines, this is not much of a base. Of course, the Google Earth image may be out of date, or Photoshopped by the Trilateral Commission...
The Google Earth thing rocks! SweetSassyMolassey, party on with your bad self.
That thing near the top to the right would make an excellent landing zone for Marine One, or whatever the hell it's called once W pardons every R who ever had a parking ticket and gets the hell out of the U.S.
Jenna Bush given a 'missionary position'. Yes, yes, I can see that. 'Mas tequila, por favor!'
You don't need taxiways if you land in a f&*&*&* helicopter and greet dignitaries, or formerly dead guys like Ken Lay, on the tarmac.
BTW, I'm no geographic genius, by the runway is at least 2.2 miles long. You could land ANYTHING THAT HAS EVER FLOWN on something that big.
mmm big mofo runway, maybe he flies out the coke in C-5's
muy llello por favor
I am glad to see they are planning a life (albeit dodgy) after presidency, kinda concerned they might not be too keen on leaving White house.
As a native born Paraguayan, I think we might be jumping to some conclusions here. Let's get some facts straight:
1) Jenna Bush visited Paraguay in representation of UNICEF, but she did meet the Paraguayan president, and naturally the ambasador James Cason. You can read the news story in the link below:
ttp://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/09/america/LA_GEN_Paraguay_UN_Jenna_Bush.php
Ok, although this might be a smokescreen, she did have a "reason" for visiting Paraguay other than supposedly sealing a land deal.
2) Although Paraguay did grant U.S. troops immunity through a secret measure approved by the Paraguayan congress in May 2005, Paraguay has declared it will not extend this immunity to further troop deployments in 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/...
What happens then of the U.S. presence in the region? Big deal if there's an airbase in the Chaco region. I can't recollect for sure if the radar still works in that airport.
3) The land which Bush allegdely bought is not located on the Guarani aquifer itself, but it's located on the northern, arid portion of Paraguay. So let's not fan any more conspiracy theories by stating that is an attempt to "seize the strategic guarani aquifer."
In my personal opinion, if this rumor is correct indeed, the purchase is a commercially opportunistic one. Real estate prices in the area are very low, and it a great area to raise cattle, or develop ecotourism. Who knows, maybe the Bush family is making a sound investment.
Hence, these are my two cents.
As a native born Paraguayan, I think we might be jumping to some conclusions here. Let's get some facts straight:
1) Jenna Bush visited Paraguay in representation of UNICEF, but she did meet the Paraguayan president, and naturally the ambasador James Cason. You can read the news story in the link below:
ttp://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/09/america/LA_GEN_Paraguay_UN_Jenna_Bush.php
Ok, although this might be a smokescreen, she did have a "reason" for visiting Paraguay other than supposedly sealing a land deal.
2) Although Paraguay did grant U.S. troops immunity through a secret measure approved by the Paraguayan congress in May 2005, Paraguay has declared it will not extend this immunity to further troop deployments in 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/...
What happens then of U.S. presence in the region? Big deal if there's an airbase in the Chaco region. I can't even recollect if the radar still works in that airport.
3) The land which Bush allegdely bought is not located on the Guarani aquifer itself, but it's located on the northern, arid portion of Paraguay. So let's not fan any more conspiracy theories by stating that is an attempt to "seize the strategic guarani aquifer."
In my personal opinion, if this rumor is correct indeed, the purchase is a commercially opportunistic one. Real estate prices in the area are very low, and it a great area to raise cattle, or develop ecotourism. Who knows, maybe the Bush family is making a sound investment.
Hence, these are my two cents.
Terry, I concede... too damn funny!
You guys are ridiculous.
Paraguay, land for drugs, proximity to Bolivia and Venezuela, immunity for US troops, Bush real estate deals...come on.....that's like saying that in 1980 George HW Bush and William Casey bribed the Ayatollah Khomeini and his government with millions of dollars and weapons to release our hostages after the Carter/Reagan election took place.
Oh, wait....
Check out this satellite view, of the northern section of Paraguay.
What are all those symmetrical cutouts, smack dab in the middle of the jungle?
The key question is: does Paraguay have an extradition treaty with the US?
Yep...
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=...
Apologies for the double post.
Yes, Paraguay does have an extradition treaty with the U.S. and several other countries. Unfortunately it has one of the most corrupt judicial systems of latin america. bush and his cronies could find more pleasant places to hide...
schvitzatura: those symetrical cutouts you see are IMHO, soybean farms, cattle ranches or some other sort of agricultural establishment. the whole area has been overun by brazilian agribusiness, and they have set up huge soybean plantations. it doesnt look like military installations.
from a cynical point of view, they could also be illegal air strips used to receive small-wing aircraft carying contraband or drugs from Bolivia or Colombia. sad, but true.
According to Google Earth, the total runway length is 11,466 feet and 9,666 feet on the longest leg to the taxiway turn. The paved portion is 155 feet wide (total width 197 feet).
So, what kinda planes can you land there? I'd guess BIG ones, but I'm not a pilot.
Ambassador Jenna: "Like, hello Mr. President of Paraguay guy, it's like totally awesome to meet you. And, like, all the Paraguites have been, you know, like, so friendly... I just, like, wanted to tell you how much we, like, like your country and stuff. And since my dad is, like, going to need a place to, you know, hide after, like, people discover the details about all the, like, kidnapping, torture and murder and shit he's been up to, we'd, like, totally love to live here in exile. And besides, we, like, hear this place totally rawks the blow, you know, which it like totally up our alley, except for, like, Poppy and Bar, if you know what I'm sayin'..."
Maybe I am paranoid, but that seems like a lovely place to ride out a post-nuclear (nucular, they'll say) apocalypse. Fresh water aquifer, not exactly a neighbor of the US, so the fallout might not get them down there.
How much you wanna bet Cheney's got a bunker there? I am going to begin digging mine. They'll kill us all to remain in power.
Murder, kidnapping, zapping the constitution, reading your mail...all this is old stuff everybody is OK with all this. The Democrats would do it better, of course, but this is no reason for the Bush clan to fly the coop.
If you want to thimk of something that could really cause them to scram, think 9-11, which is catching up with them fast. There are tens of thousands of "loose change" DVD's out there, all of them being copied and dispersed, and new versions being produced all the time.
When a large % of the population has it pounded into their skulls that it was the Bushies who brought down the Twin Towers, Paraguay may all of a sudden not seem very far away, and a ranch on the moon, or maybe Mars may be a better option. I'm surprised that none of your very savvy bloggers havn't picked up on this.
Anyone else notice that GoogleMaps won't let you see it anymore?
Things that make you go "Hmmm..."
This is further proof that the wicked prosper, and there will be no accountability. Money talks. I saw corruption like this overseas, and believed that the USA was pure and above this sort of thing, so rampant in poorer countries. But that was when I was starry-eyed and gullible.
I wonder if any Patriot Missle Batteries are in the deployment package... If this is intended to be a refuge, it has the potential to backfire on W and his entourage. He and his cronies have certainly not gained many friends thanks to their global military exploits. Imagine having that whole rogue's gallery (Hor-Hey aka Dubya, Moon, Delay, Dead Eye Dick, Rush etc) in a place remote enough that the outcry for someone detonating a nu-cu-ler device THERE would really not amount to more than a yawn for the rest of the world. There's a wealthy nut somewhere with a Dubya inspired axe to grind.
Or, is it all dis-information on an unfathomable scale? Everyone will be made to believe W's fled there when he actually skulks off to Canada with the rest of the draft dodgers. Hey, better late than never. Think of it… Jenna Bush on a diplomatic mission? "Don't come back here Yankee, but if I ever do, I'll bring more money, 'cause all she wants to do is dance" - D. Henley
Has anyone thought of one of the largest environmental reports ever presented to congress in 2000? That study was commissioned by Congress to find out what was happening with the environment. The final paper was based upon two studies conducted by NOAA. One study in 1996 demonstrated the fresh waters effect on an underwater river (beginning in the gulf Stream ending in Iceland) responsible for the temperature balance of the northern continents. Scientists have been tracking a fresh water bubble half the size of the United States. The study concludes with the findings of this effect on the salt content the Gulf Stream.
This second study was a study of ice core sample collected in Antarctica in 1999. These ice samples looked at the earth climatic changes over the past 150,000 years. The findings were debated by 13 scientists. The results were 12 of the 13 scientist agreed that because of a change in the saline evaporation content of the Gulf Stream the northern continents will go into full blow ice age within one year beginning 2012, this is when the fresh water bubble they are tracking covers the Gulf Stream.
Now lets all think, Mr. Bush must know all this and now has land grabbed the most prime piece of real estate in the world and when it goes down we will all be stuck here but Mr. Bush thanks to all the gas monies we been giving him via oil companies, well at least him and his family will be safe! Right!!! Suckers we are; all of us! Good luck all!
Peter Vinci
This story appears to yet another hoax. You can't believe everything you hear.
http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive/2006/Jan/12-623470.h...
Doink said "This story appears to yet another hoax. You can't believe everything you hear."
Doink needs to come up with more of an rebuttal than the US.gov site he offered as a link to proof. Here in the US the Bush White House has been caught in so many lies that it has little credibility left in our country. In fact the denial its self lends to the credibility of the story. Why respond at all if it had no truth to it? The White House statement listed things for example about how the US government did not build the base… I say so what? Also that the air fields are too narrow for the bombers by at least 40 meters…. Again so what, you don't think that can be changed… a small thing like that? That the entire thing was for an exercise and humanitarian assistance?? Any time our government suggests that they are offering assistance to any country its arms and money to supply arms just look at all the assisting going on in Africa. Look our country can't even help its own people look at Katrina and now the devastation in Kansas!! However, we are to believe that they can help in Paraguay?? I am sorry but if this is proof that the rest of this story is a hoax than you need to better than the White House as a source of proof…. Ha ha ha ha!!!!!
>>muy llello por favor
"Very cocaine, please?"
well i looked it up=/i lived in paraguay for a year.i was liveing there when Rumsfeld went.he supposely went to set up a criminal investigation center.it came all over the news when u.s army troop were droped off there.i dont think it has anything to do with bush buying land.in the news in paraguay it said that the u.s is there to protect small oil reserves in the chaco in case the u.s has dier need for oil.o yea the press caught pics of jenna bush taning and touching her(o)in paraguay LOL.
And why does the Bush Crime Family need all that fresh water? Can you say "New World Order"
If the New World Order is to become a reality and they really eliminate 5/6 of the worlds population you must think about; what do you do to kill off 5 billion people, quickly using a environmental disaster. Lets see you taint the worlds water, killing the poorest first; they have no voice. And you have the only "clean" body of water to keep the elite alive.
It's just a bonus that they have a "drug runners dream" airport in a prime location. It looks as though Bush Sr. has had his "War on Drugs" buddies on this family decision too!!
Amen to the oil reserves comment. I heard they were large. The government has been very secretive about it. After the announcement of the discovery, everyone clammed up.
The presence of US soldiers in Paraguay is not welcomed by the Paraguayan people. They are likely there to harrass Evo Morales in Bolivia or possibly invade.
It is my understanding that the Paraguayan government, though corrupt is not drug friendly, nor is the culture. Refugee drug lords have been busted.
The Chaco is hardly a garden spot. It has been called the "green hell". A perfect place for Bush and even more so as global warming has raised temperatures in Paraguay.
It's uncomfortable when your crazy-fun conspiracy theory becomes True. Remember that "Bushes seeking exile in Paraguay" story with the land grab and the Moonies and Jenna making secret trips and a bunch of other weird crap that sounds like a clumsy parody of a Graham Greene comedy?
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