Developing Story! Chiquita Case Emerges With Ties To Bush, DOJ, CIA

To Bolster Surge, President Weighs Using Banana Company Thugs In Iraq

Goodling Courted By Chiquita For "Hiring Expertise"; CIA Contractor Cuts May Hit '54 Coup Vets

Sources tell The Garlic that the Bush Grindhouse has been conducting secret negotiations with Chiquita Brands International, as part of the company's eye-popping $25-million fine and admission of guilt for using terrorists and right-wing militia groups in Columbia, to brutalize and murder the local population, to deploy some of these same "banana company thugs" in Iraq, to augment the current and latest Bush plan of a massive surge.

With the latest U.S. surge in Iraq said to be complete, but showing no signs of decreasing the violence - and top Congressional leaders telling the President it is a failure - Bush is said to have issued directions to his staff to "pursue all avenues" and "go outside the box".

With the Justice Department holding the cards over Chiquita, talks began shortly after the court proceedings.

"We're pretty confident", an unidentified Pentagon official boasted, "that these ... ahh ... soldiers, will adapt without much difficulty. Bananas ... Dates ... Apricots ... What's the difference ... Fruit is fruit ...They can employ their set of skills just as well over there, as they did in Columbia. The weather is pretty much the same, as well, so we see no issue with the transition."

Chiquita admitted, back in March of this year, that they paid United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), as well as the FARC and ELN rebel armies, nearly $2-million for "security" and to "protect their employees" in their operations, under their Banadex company in Urabá, Colombia.

As reported by the Christian Science Monitor, "The right-wing United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) joined the ranks of Al Qaeda and Hamas on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations in September 2001. Colombia's two main leftist rebel groups, known as FARC and ELN are also on the list."

The AUC is said to have committed some of the most brutal crimes, that saw thousands of Columbians killed between 1997-2004.

And there is more fallout, as famlies of the victims of Chiquita's thugs may sue the company, and the Columbian government may seek the extradition of eight Chiquita executives.

Deployment Of Banana Thugs May Increase Tensions In Iraq

The Garlic's sources could not confirm reports the Chiquita would continue paying AUC when they are deployed to Iraq.

Neither the Bush Grindhouse, or the Pentagon, would say how AUC would be deployed in Iraq - as part of the U.S. forces, or under the private contractor, Blackwater, which could introduce new problems.

"I can't see them working under Blackwater," offered Holly Martins, Publisher of Axis of Evil Illustrated, a quarterly publication, that is rumored to be a house magazine for the Project for The New American Century.

"Blackwater would see them as a competitor," continued Martins. "They'd be taking money out of their pockets and you could, potentially, see a scenario where Blackwater and the AUC start fighting each other."

Chiquita Balks At CIA Cuts

The talks with Chiquita over the use of their thugs did hit a recent snag, when the CIA announced earlier this week that they are planning on cutting their contractor staffing by 10%.

It is believed that Chiquita balked at the plan, fearing that veterans of the 1954 coup that ousted Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz would be laid off.

The United Fruit Company (now Chiquita) protested some of Arbenz's policies, leading to "a killing field" that saw 140,000 people killed and another 45,000 disappeared in a U.S. backed scorched earth campaign to wipe out dissidents, rebels and activists for peace and social justice in Guatemala.

Coincidentally, John Foster Dulles, the former Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, coincidentally had a brother, Allen, who was the Director of the CIA, and who was also a member of the Board of Directors of the United Fruit Company. Foster Dulles "was pivotal in promoting and executing the CIA-led Operation PBSUCCESS that overthrew the democratically elected Guatemalan government of Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán."

Chiquita threatened to back out of the deal until receiving assurances that any '54 coup veterans would not be effected by the CIA cuts.

Chiquita Courts Disgraced DOJ Underling

Also developing is reports the Chiquita has been courting Monica Goodling, the disgraced, former senior councilor to Crony General Alberto Gonzales.

Goodling admitted in Senate testimony that she "crossed the line" in her duties, using the political affiliations, as well as political donations, in her criteria for the hiring of hundreds of Justice Department career employees.

A company spokesperson for Chiquita would not offer details of their discussions with Goodling, or what type of work and compensation would be offered to her, but it was clear they have their sights set on landing her.

"If we had her working with us in Columbia, able to cut through and line-up the proper thugs, the thugs who would be on our team, with our morals and philosophies, we wouldn't have a $25-million fine and we wouldn't be having this conversation today."

The Chiquita spokesperson would neither confirm or deny that the company is also talking to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield, former FEMA Director Michael Brown and, depending on the outcome of his appeal process, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby about coming on board.

"Let's just say," offered the Chiquita spokesperson, "that we are looking to enhance our staff and we have learned our lesson. There are better ways, and better resources, for Chiquita to achieve its' objectives, if you have the right players on board ... If you work within the system ... All we had to do, from the beginning, was look back to 1954."

Links

Virtual Truth Commission

Third World Traveler

A new blog covering Immigration, and Chiquita - Immigration Orange


What a bunch!