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Posted on 07/21/2003 11:48:49 AM PDT by presidio9
A peace mission to Liberia by US presidential candidate Al Sharpton, has been cancelled after the US embassy in Monrovia said it could not guarantee the civil rights leader's safety.
The Reverend Sharpton had planned to fly to Liberia on Monday to meet with President Charles Taylor, but his office in New York said he was staying in Accra, Ghana where he has been holding talks with Liberian opposition factions.
"The US embassy in Liberia reached out to our campaign manager and said they could not guarantee Reverend Sharpton's safety and they highly recommended that he not travel," his spokeswoman Rachel Noerdlinger said.
Sharpton is leading a delegation of African-American religious and community leaders to Ghana's capital, where Liberian peace talks are being held.
"The representatives of Charles Taylor's office are present at the negotiating table, so even if he does not get to meet with Taylor, he is meeting with people from his faction," Noerdlinger said.
More than a dozen mortar shells fell midday Monday near the US embassy in Monrovia, where fighting has become increasingly fierce in recent days with a rebel push into the Liberian capital.
It was not immediately clear whether the shells were launched by rebel forces attacking the capital or by soldiers loyal to President Taylor.
The attack came during the transfer of 41 US special forces personnel from Sierra Leone's capital Freetown to bolster protection of the US compound in Monrovia.
US President George Bush has made Taylor's departure from office a precondition for sending troops to join peacekeeping efforts in Liberia.
If you would like on or off the Go Al Go ping list, please freepmail me.
A peace mission to Liberia by US presidential candidate Al Sharpton, has been cancelled after the US embassy in Monrovia said it could not guarantee the civil rights leader's safety.
Oh suck it up, Al. You’ll be fine. Don’t be chicken. Just go.
It is good to see that the Bush Administration is concerned and protective of the safety of Presidential Candidate Sharpton.
Do you think they would give a hoot and a holler if Kerry or Gephardt wanted to go to Liberia?
Translation: We don't wanna.
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