US readies for possible Liberia mission ( 2003-07-04 10:58) (Agencies)
The US military commander in Europe has been ordered to begin planning for
possible American intervention in Liberia, officials said Thursday, as President
Bush and his advisers weighed diplomatic and military options for responding to
the Liberian conflict.
Liberians youths holding placards saying "America we
support your Peace" and "For the sake of peace Charles must go"
demonstrate against President Charles Taylor in front of the US embassy
July 3, 2003. [Reuters]
Secretary of State
Colin Powell said he was consulting the United Nations and leaders in Africa,
and Bush's National Security Council struggled with the issue for a third day.
Powell spoke of "a severe humanitarian crisis emerging" in Liberia as well as
concern for the safety of American diplomats there. He said, "All of these
factors are being taken into consideration."
Options on the table ranged from sending no troops to sending thousands,
defense officials said.
Some in the administration have suggested that sending a contingent of
several dozen soldiers to the US Embassy in Monrovia along with stepping up
diplomatic efforts might suffice. In line with that, Bush and other US officials
were pressing the effort to persuade Liberian President Charles Taylor to leave
the country.
Bush said he would not be rushed into making a decision before he leaves
Monday evening for a five-country African tour. He called anew for Taylor to
leave.
"A condition for any progress in Liberia is his removal, his removing
himself," Bush said in an interview with African journalists.
In a separate interview, he declined to say what he would do if Taylor
refuses to cede power. "I refuse to accept the negative," Bush told CNN
International. "I am convinced that he will listen."
"I'm in the process now of gathering the information necessary to make a
rational decision as to how to bring - how to enforce the cease-fire, to keep
the cease-fire in place," Bush said.
He spoke of America's "unique history" with Liberia, which was founded by
freed American slaves, saying there was "a greater sense of expectations" of US
help.
Indeed, thousands of Liberians marched behind an American flag to the US
Embassy in Monrovia, pleading for Bush to send troops to help stop the years of
bloody civil war in their nation.
"No more Taylor, we want Bush, we want peace," the crowd chanted. Across
town, 300 people rallied in support of Taylor, saying his departure would mean
the United States could oust any African leader it opposed.
Sending at least some US troops appeared to be a strong possibility. The
American military commander in Europe was ordered to begin planning for possible
intervention.
A directive called a "warning order" was sent overnight to Gen. James Jones,
asking him to give the Pentagon his estimate of how the situation in the West
African nation might be handled, defense officials said on condition of
anonymity.
Bush was trying to decide how to respond to international pressure that he
send 2,000 troops to help enforce a cease-fire in the country.
Another military option was to send 500 to 1,000 Americans who might
coordinate logistics for any peacekeeping mission, provide it with
communications equipment and assist non-governmental organizations in the area,
defense officials said.
Taking that lesser role would allow the United States to keep down the number
of Americans required - a big consideration with so many already deployed for
stabilization in postwar Iraq, in Afghanistan and for the counterterror war.
At the White House, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice ticked off
reasons why Liberia's situation might meet Bush's tests for sending troops.
Stability there "could be vital to progress on the continent," she said, and
helping the country now could avert a disaster like that in Rwanda in the
mid-1990s.
"We've also recognized since 9-11 that one wants to be careful about
permitting conditions of failed states to create conditions in which there's so
much instability that you begin to see greater sources of terrorism," she said.
"But an America president is always reluctant to have forces go anywhere,"
she said.
At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States had
been in touch with Nigeria, which had offered Taylor asylum.
Hundreds of civilians in Monrovia were killed last month, and more than 1
million Liberians have been displaced in the latest round of fighting, started
three years ago as rebels began trying to oust Taylor, a former warlord who won
election in 1997.
A month ago, a U.N.-backed court in neighboring Sierra Leone indicted Taylor
for crimes against humanity. He has been accused by others of backing rebels in
Sierra Leone, where reports of atrocities are widespread.
Sporadic fighting has continued in Liberia despite a June 17 cease-fire
agreement.
Senate Armed Services Chairman John Warner, R-Va., said the additional
deployment of US troops would be manageable but should be approached cautiously.
"We must look very prudently when we ask more of them," he said. Warner spoke
at a news conference with senators just returned from Iraq.
The committee's top Democrat, Carl Levin of Michigan, said he was "concerned
about US troops being stretched too thin" though he was willing to consider a
mission if other countries would help in Iraq.
More than 10,000 US troops are deployed in and around Afghanistan and nearly
150,000 in troubled postwar Iraq.
Former President Carter welcomed Bush's statements of determination to help
Liberians.
"US leadership can and should extend to the deployment of US forces in
support of a multinational humanitarian intervention," Carter said.
Bush said he will carry a message of compassion when he leaves Monday for
Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Nigeria. He will not visit Liberia.
