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African-American Lawmakers Urge President Bush to Send Troops to Liberia
VOAnews ^ | 07-26-03

Posted on 07/25/2003 6:37:50 PM PDT by Brian S

African-American members of Congress say the Bush administration needs to immediately send troops to Liberia. The lawmakers told reporters on Capitol Hill that the scale of the crisis demands President Bush decide quickly on a U.S. military commitment and leading role in organizing an international force.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are frustrated with what they call unacceptable delay in making a decision on how U.S. troops will be involved.

Elijah Cummings, chairman of the Black Caucus, says the presence of Americans on the ground would be very significant.

So far President Bush has ordered U.S. troops to take up positions off the coast of Liberia to support the deployment of a West African peacekeeping force.

But Mr. Cummings says the positioning of a U.S. assault ship, the Iwo Jima, from the Mediterranean to the coast off Liberia is a welcome, but not sufficient, response.

"We believe that the president should make a definitive decision regarding the nature and scope of U.S. participation so that it is clear to the Liberian people, the U.S. public, and the international community, that help is on the way," he said.

African-American lawmakers say they are willing to go to Africa to help with efforts to resolve the crisis in Liberia.

They have had frequent contact with Secretary of State Colin Powell and other officials pressing the case for immediate commitment of troops.

However, they believe President Bush may not yet have recognized that a leading U.S. role is necessary.

"We expect him to do what is necessary, make the decision, do what is necessary to stop this carnage and not sit back and wait, and hope that perhaps [the United States] will never have to go in. But it is stalling at this point," said California Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

The African-American lawmakers say they are prepared to assist in any way, including traveling to Africa to take part in efforts to forge a political situation.

In past appeals, they have pointed to what they call double standards in how successive U.S. administrations have handled crises in Africa versus those in other world trouble spots.

Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey picked up on that line of criticism. "As we asked other countries to come into Iraq and to assist us in that situation, other countries are saying America where are you with your moral obligation to Liberia?" he said.

For Congresswoman Diane Watson, unless President Bush acts, and until Washington works on finding longer-term solutions with allies and the United Nations, many will continue to question the administration's attitude toward Africa.

"Until we do that and make it real clear, then there is a question about why the president is hesitating over going to the 'dark continent,' and adding the assistance to one of our countries, and I say ours because this is where liberated slaves went," she said. "We need to have a very clear, transparent foreign policy that covers not only the hot spots, but the human spots where people are dying and being harmed every day."

The lawmakers express impatience with the amount of time Nigeria says it will take to organize an initial contingent of about 1,300 troops for Liberia.

They say that in the seven to eight days it will take to send the U.S. assault ship to waters off Liberia, and move Nigerians into position, hundreds if not thousands more people could die in Liberia.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: cbc; liberia
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To: Brian S
Let me get this straight:

The Congressional Black Caucus once accuses Bush of being a racist because they think we send a greater percent of Blacks then whites to Iraq and Afghanistan, which is proved to be wrong.

They also do not support the President when we move to liberate both countries.

Now they bitch and moan because we are taking to long to send more of our troops to a hell hole of a country???

Now is a good as time as any for the U.N. to show it can handle a relative small job of ridding the world of a small local war..

21 posted on 07/25/2003 7:08:27 PM PDT by JZoback (Don't have such an open mind, your brain falls out)
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To: Aaron0617
Maintain peace? There never was any friggin peace. No Troops in Liberia. Have a seat Conyers
22 posted on 07/25/2003 7:08:33 PM PDT by Aaron0617
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To: Brian S
Wait a second, aren't these the same people who wanted to wait months before going into Iraq, all the while Iraqis were being slaughtered by Saddam, children were imprisoned, and people were being starved? If we had to wait well over 6 months to get our troops into position for Iraq, what makes these people think it's going to take less time to get them into Liberia?
23 posted on 07/25/2003 7:12:47 PM PDT by McGavin999
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To: Aaron0617
Get'em Sheila!!

Africa needs a roadmap. A humanitarian roadmap. How much money do you think that'd be Sheila?

24 posted on 07/25/2003 7:14:14 PM PDT by Aaron0617
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To: Aaron0617
Barbara Lee...we're in an emergency? Oh, we need a long term economic aid strategy in Liberia. Why is that? Why U.S. taxpayers need that?
25 posted on 07/25/2003 7:18:30 PM PDT by Aaron0617
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To: Brian S
I wonder if the Congressional Black Caucus pressured the 'toon to send troops to Rwanda. Did they care then when hundreds of thousands were being massacred?
26 posted on 07/25/2003 7:20:55 PM PDT by AngrySpud
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To: Aaron0617
It's like I'm watching a SNL parody...
27 posted on 07/25/2003 7:24:15 PM PDT by Brian S ("Mount up everybody and ride to the sound of the gun!")
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To: Aaron0617
Oh, now I see, it's terrorisism in the homeland (according to one of the Representatives who just spoke). I guess they think if they throw in popular buzz words they will win the support of the President. Now Sheila Jackson Lee says Clinton said he was sorry about Rwanda. Wow, I am watching people from a different planet.

28 posted on 07/25/2003 7:25:39 PM PDT by Dolphy
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To: Brian S
Well, do they want to send only white troops? In the past, they didn't want any troops sent anywhere because there was a "disproportionate" amount of black soldiers being sent.
29 posted on 07/25/2003 7:26:42 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
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To: Brian S
They want to give the appearance of not being complete pacifists...and at the same time
be THE authority on "when to go to war" as well as "when not to"

By going to war in Liberia they demonstrate to their cash cows their so called leadership abililty and their righteousness in being voted in again and again...

Poverty pimps using "blackness first" as the only critieria for any decision political or otherwise
National security National Interest American Sovereignty mean nothing to these leeches

Racist through and through imo
30 posted on 07/25/2003 7:32:16 PM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: Brian S
"Adding the assistance to one our countries, and I say ours because this is where liberated slaves went."

Someone clue me in on something....How many countries does the United States currently have? Also, If Liberia is one of our countries, how come they aren't paying taxes like the rest of us?
31 posted on 07/25/2003 7:33:12 PM PDT by Arpege92
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To: Brian S
I have a vision that after the first African is shot and killed by a U.S. soldier, Al Sharpton and a rent-a-mob shows up to protest.
32 posted on 07/25/2003 7:34:58 PM PDT by Missouri
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To: Brian S
African-American Lawmakers Urge President Bush to Send Troops to Liberia

We can't do that!

It would upset the.......

"No Blood for Oil" Crowd

The Liberians are Black. If we have to kill any of the Black bad guys, it will also upset the......

" We Don't Want Your Racist War" Crowd.

It would also upset the......

"Bush is a warmonger" Crowd.

It would also upset the......

"I Solved the Problem of Balancing U.S. Troop Safety and Civilian Safety by Executing Civilians in Vietnam But I Would Do a Better Job as Commander in Chief" Crowd.

33 posted on 07/25/2003 7:47:50 PM PDT by Polybius
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To: Brian S
Satellite photo of Monrovia. Shows key bridges, beaches, stadium.


34 posted on 07/25/2003 9:06:00 PM PDT by BenLurkin (Socialism is slavery.)
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To: Polybius
What you are saying bump. bttt!
35 posted on 07/25/2003 9:13:30 PM PDT by Brian S ("Mount up everybody and ride to the sound of the gun!")
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To: Brian S
British intelligence has not yet claimed that Liberia ever sought to purchase yellowcake from Niger, so why the rush to send troops?
36 posted on 07/25/2003 9:16:53 PM PDT by kevao
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To: Brian S
Send the French.
37 posted on 07/25/2003 9:31:51 PM PDT by dalebert
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To: BenLurkin
Do you have the population for that "island"?
38 posted on 07/25/2003 9:39:22 PM PDT by Brian S ("Mount up everybody and ride to the sound of the gun!")
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To: Falcon4.0
We should go nowhere near that rat hole, hold the coats only.
39 posted on 07/25/2003 9:47:46 PM PDT by jtsbrown
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To: Brian S
http://populations.com/Country.asp?ID=96&CityID=4138
40 posted on 07/25/2003 9:51:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin (Socialism is slavery.)
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