Pondering: Bush And Co And Paraguay ...

Reading a report about Bush buying up land to build a (personal?), place in Paraguay set us off searching for some more.

Here's taste of what we're talking about.

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.

And then we found the Rumsfeld photo; click here for an official photographic essay showing some more of the same.

Next to show up on our search was this -- about half the Bush-twin, brat-pack, Jenna. Seemingly, she rather recently took off on a trip to Paraguay, too.

Jenna Bush in Paraguay for UNICEF Plan

Tuesday October 10, 2006 4:01 AM

By PEDRO SERVIN
Associated Press Writer

ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP)

President Bush's daughter Jenna came to this poor, landlocked South American country to take part in a UNICEF program for young professionals volunteers, the U.N. children's fund said Monday.

UNICEF released few details about the program involving the 24-year-old, citing security concerns. She is planning to stay in the country for 10 days.

``The visit is strictly private in nature,'' UNICEF said in a one-page statement released by spokeswoman Natalie Echague.

Find the full Jenna story here.

Then, still studiously searching, we stumbled on this Paraguayan news site (requiring [free] registration), carrying several related reports.

We also sniffed out this (fishy smelling story), from last summer, regarding a US military presence in Paraguay.

Cast an eye across a quick cut & paste from the piece.

Washington Secures Long-Sought Hemispheric Outpost

Press Release - Council On Hemispheric Affairs 07/22/05

This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associates Mary Donohue and Melissa Nepomiachi.

On June 1, 2005 the Paraguayan National Congress entered into an agreement with Washington that allows U.S. troops to enter into Paraguay for an 18-month period. The troops will help train Paraguayan officials to deal with narcotrafficking, terrorism, government corruption and domestic health issues.

The agreement grants the U.S. troops legal immunity from possible offenses committed during their stay. Washington has long sought similar immunity for its troops in the Southern Cone, but Argentina and Brazil have firmly restricted granting such judicial liberty to U.S. troops. Bolivian officials and its press are also speaking out against the agreement, fearing the U.S. presence as a means to control the petroleum and natural gas sources in their country.

Though Asunción and Washington claim that the U.S. has no intentions of establishing a permanent base in Paraguay, history shows a strange resemblance between the current situation in Paraguay and the development of the Manta base in Ecuador from a “temporary” facility into a major base.

Paraguay and the United States recently entered into an agreement that allows U.S. military personnel to enter Paraguay to train officials in counter-terrorism and anti-narcotrafficking measures. According to the Head of Social Communication of the Paraguayan Armed Forces Col. Elio Flores, these U.S. Special Forces units will be working with the National AntiDrugs Secretariat, the Presidential Escort Regiment and the Air Transport Brigade.

The U.S. will also provide financial assistance to help stabilize Paraguayan agencies which will be collaborating with U.S. authorities and institute a military-led initiative to provide health care services to the country’s poor in the northeast region of Canindeyu. Jose Ruiz, Public Affairs officer for the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command office, told COHA that “some military training will be operational in nature,” and the goal is to better equip Paraguayans to deal with the threats of narcotrafficking, terrorism, government corruption and poverty.

A contingent of 500 U.S. troops headed by seven officials arrived in Paraguay on July 1 with planes, weapons, equipment and ammunition. This group is the first of at least 13 U.S. units set to enter Paraguay until the agreement expires December 31, 2006.

This agreement grants U.S. soldiers complete legal immunity from some of their actions while they are in the country, affording them the same privileges as diplomats as well as leaving them free from prosecution for any damages inflicted on the public health, the environment or the country’s resources.

According to Servicio Paz y Justicia (SERPAJ) Paraguay, the Paraguayan National Congress passed this resolution allowing for the entry of U.S. forces with no debate, behind closed doors and with the public largely unaware of the entire transaction.

Of course we can't help but concede that the whole caboodle could be complete coincidence, with an absolute lack of any links or dots crying out for connection.

But by the same token ...

Well, one can't help but wonder, can one?

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