[Angelus Errare]

I recognize that, in part because Qadaffi is an old-time military dictator who is more interested in empire than religion (he ever-so fashionably "anti-imperialist" during the 1980s) and as such he has tried to set up puppet governments in Burkina Faso, Liberia, the Central African Republic, and Uganda during the last twenty years. There is a very good case to be made for Mugabe being a Libyan puppet as well.

Taylor is, in all likelihood, overstepping his authority in his decision to back al-Qaeda in its financial efforts post-9/11. Or maybe Muammar doesn't believe the press reports or maybe he just doesn't care. In any case, Taylor has a clear pattern of behavior in regard to al-Qaeda that should not be tolerated by the US after 9/11.

[Destro]

Liberia, like all of Africa, is filled with Lebanese middle men who act as buyers of diamonds and gold, etc. If al-Qaeda is in Liberia-it is there indirectly. I do not discount al-Qaeda involved with Liberia or Taylor but as Taylor's partner? Maybe dealing with diamond sales using al-Qaeda sympathetic Lebanese diamond and gold merchants but I would not say there is more of a connection with any certainty. In addition such contacts would explode if we allow Muslims to take over, IMHO.