Liberian Forces Block U.S. Military Mission

Reuters ^ | 07?08/03 | By Emmanuel Braun

[propertius]

And this from AP

As the Americans moved on, crowds chased their 15-vehicle convoy. The delegation decided to abandon a planned visit to another refugee camp in an abandoned Voice of America radio station compound outside Monrovia.


When the procession re-entered the city, crowds formed again and in the confusion, one diplomatic car ran into a young boy.


As diplomats loaded the child into the vehicle to get medical treatment, the throng grew again. Liberian police special forces deployed on a bridge fired shots in the air without warning to disperse them.


U.S. servicemen at the front of the convoy jumped out and briefly took aim at the policemen until they realized what was happening, witnesses said.

[Blood of Tyrants]

West African countries have pledged 3,000 troops to keep a peace

You mean troops from countries who care less about these people than the Liberian troops? Ah, no thanks.

[Damocles]

Cheering crowds swamped the reconnaissance convoy as it drove through Monrovia, rushing forward to shout "We want Bush" and "No more war, we want peace."

I know most of this trip is political, but this country certainly wants our help...

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[Sir Gawain]

founded by freed American slaves

Is this correct? I read conflicting info on FR. Anyway, good. We don't need to be there in the first place.

[Gabrielle Reilly]

ping

[DoughtyOne]

I believe the Somalians acted the same way at first.

[Spruce]

...Liberians want U.S. peacekeepers to end years of violence and believe only they can win respect from defeat a generation of young fighters nurtured on war and inured to atrocities...

[meenie]

We are making a mistake by not sending our troops in bearing gifts. Sort of like Christmas in July. Candy for the kids and sandals for the adults. It's cheaper than .308 ammo and not near as destructive. Also, send in a truckload of prophylactics for those who want to make love instead of war. A little imagination and innovative ideas can make the whole world love us.

[blam]

"Is this correct? I read conflicting info on FR. Anyway, good. We don't need to be there in the first place."

Yes, it is correct. The country was founded by ex-slaves from the US

Liberian Flag

[William McKinley]

I'm not. Quite the opposite. Maybe I can convince you to reconsider?

[Sir Gawain]

Ah, I found the passages. Check these out:

Liberia was founded, not by freed slaves, but by the American Colonization Society (ACS), an uneasy coalition of slave-holding Southerners and moderate abolitionists who believed that blacks, roaming free in the U.S. could only mean trouble. So they determined that the best course would be to ship them back to Africa: exactly the position taken today by white supremacists.

The ACS, sponsored by several state goverments, sent boat-loads of freed slaves from Maryland, Virginia, New York, and elsewhere, to Liberia in the early 1800s, and then decided that independence would be the best course, as the colony was taxing the financial resources of the ACS – and rebellion against the Society's authority endemic. A Declaration of Independence and a Constitution were drawn up, supposedly based on the American model, and the familiar triad of legislative, executive and judicial branches were set up by the "Americo-Liberians," as they called themselves.

But there was one big difference with the original U.S. model: in the Liberian version, the "Americo-Liberians" were legally privileged over and above the native inhabitants, and they lorded it over the natives just as the white Southern aristocracy had once lorded over them. Only "Americo-Liberians" could own property, vote, and run for office: These legal inequalities were written into the Liberian Constitution, as well as the Declaration of Independence. The Liberian state was an instrument in the hands of the Americo-Liberians for keeping the natives – officially deemed "aborigines" – down on the farm, literally.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/941650/posts

First, it's not true that slaves founded Liberia. It was founded by the American Colonization Society, a group of white slave owners who believed that slavery was destined to end in the U. S., but couldn't imagine whites and blacks living together. Some 13,000 black Americans were sent to Liberia in the 1800s, many against their will. Today, descendants of slaves make up a small minority of the 3.3 million Liberians.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/942218/posts

[DoughtyOne]

prophylactics = genocide (to them)

Now Viagra, there may be a case to be made. LOL

[blam]

Thanks for the info. Do they still make distinctions between the descendents of the ex-slaves and the natives?

[Sir Gawain]

I don't know. That's a good question.

[norton]

Remember, Somalia was a two parter:
Under Bush First, a successful himanitarian mission.
Under Xlinton First (who terminated one mission and started a second on the spot and with the same people); a disasterous 'nation building' armed incursion seemingly targeted against one individual.

I'd be more inclined to liken this to Haiti. Everybody wants us to be there because they believe it means free stuff without any real need to change.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

I'm really starting to like Taylor.

I hope you were joking

[DoughtyOne]

Haiti probably is a good comparison.