Posted on 07/25/2003 5:54:22 PM PDT by Pubbie
Edited on 07/25/2003 6:03:23 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
President Bush today directed the Pentagon to position a limited number of Marines off the coast of Liberia to facilitate the arrival of West African peacekeepers as fighting raged in Monrovia and conditions deteriorated for the Liberian people.
Defense officials said a three-ship Amphibious Ready Group with 2,200 Marines led by the helicopter carrier USS Iwo Jima would arrive in the region from the Mediterranean in early August, about the time the first battalion of Nigerian peacekeepers is planning to go into Liberia.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"A senior U.S. official later explained that there had been no "hard decision" on whether U.S. troops would actually go into Liberia. But he said the troops would not engage in any peacekeeping mission."
Hey Powell! Does Liberian intervention fit the "Powell Doctrine"???......., no I didn't think it did!
David Teather in New York, Andrew Meldrum in Pretoria and agencies in Monrovia
Saturday July 26, 2003
The Guardian (UK)
George Bush yesterday bowed to international pressure and deployed US troops to the coast of Liberia in support of a west African peacekeeping mission in the wartorn country. Shells, mortars and gunfire ripped through the Liberian capital on a seventh day of fighting, as rebels continued to press the forces of President Charles Taylor. More than two dozen people were killed and many more wounded by a mortar barrage near the US embassy in the capital, Monrovia.
Mr Bush has faced loud calls from within Liberia and the international community to intervene. But he is wary of spreading the US army too thinly and engaging soldiers in another bloody, politically unattractive conflict from which retreat might prove difficult.
"We are deeply concerned the condition of the Liberian people is getting worse and worse and worse," Mr Bush said yesterday. "Today, I did or der our military, in limited numbers, to head into the area to help prepare the arrival [of African peacekeepers] to relieve human suffering."
An amphibious assault group - including the helicopter carrier USS Iwo Jima, two other warships and 2,300 marines - is gathering in the Mediterranean. Pentagon sources said the president had ordered the group to sail to the coast of Liberia.
The US navy said yesterday that one of the three ships had yet to pass through the Suez canal. The Pentagon sources said the ships were seven to 10 days' sailing time from Liberia. "It takes about a week to get there," one said.
The White House appeared to be keeping its options open. Mr Bush stopped short of saying the troops would actively participate in the mission, and the White House has said it will not put troops on the ground until Mr Taylor has gone and a ceasefire is in place.
The current plan is to provide logistics, communication and other non-combat support. With growing disquiet in the US as troops are killed in Iraq on a daily basis, the Pentagon stressed that this was a limited mission, with an exit plan. Talks are going on with the UN to ensure US peacekeepers will be replaced within four months.
In a written statement, the White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, said: "The US role will be limited in time and scope as multinational forces under the United Nations assume the responsibility for peacekeeping."
The US has historical ties to Liberia, which was founded by former American slaves.
Yesterday's fighting in Monrovia was concentrated near the fortified US embassy, causing casualties among the thousands of residents gathered in its vicinity for protection. Several children were among the dead after heavy shelling.
The government and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy rebels blame each other for shelling residential areas.
Residents swarmed on to the streets after the main attack to plead for help from the US. Emmanuel Sieh, 28, said: "I want to tell George Bush to do something hurriedly, very fast ... people are dying every day."
More than 200,000 of the city's residents are threatened by the violence and are cut off from clean water. Aid agencies say an outbreak of cholera is imminent, and urge the quick deployment of US forces.
The Nigerian force, to be bolstered by other African troops, is intended to establish a "zone of separation" between the warring factions, providing a secure environment for relief agencies and preparing the way for a force of 3,000 to 5,000 peacekeepers by September 19. It is hoped the first Nigerian troops will arrive on August 2.
Liberia's special envoy to the UN, Jacques Klein, said: "We stand between two options: hope and disaster. Hope that we quickly move troops in, stop the killing, and stabilise the situation; disaster if nothing is done."
I don't think so or at least I hope not. I think this is a "we're in your face" to the U.N. You have a problem, you deal with, if you fail we will solve it.
Earlier this month I was at Dover AFB for a few days. They were changing missions like crazy. All their flights were rerouted east. I got the feeling this was a watch and wait.
Great point...
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