PAULINE JELINEK
U.S. Planning for Intervention in Liberia
Thu Jul 3 16:34:10 2003
208.152.73.123

U.S. Planning for Intervention in Liberia
By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer
July 3, 2003

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military commander in Europe has been ordered to begin
planning for possible American intervention in Liberia, defense officials said
Thursday.

Specifics on the number and types of U.S. troops are still to be worked out and
approved by President Bush, two officials said. But a directive called a
"warning order" was sent overnight to European commander Gen. James Jones,
asking him to give the Pentagon his estimate of how the situation in the West
African nation might be handled.

Bush is trying to decide how to respond to international pressure that he send
up to 2,000 troops to help enforce a cease-fire in the country, wracked by
fighting between forces loyal to President Charles Taylor and rebel groups
trying to oust him.

Officials said a plan also is under consideration to send only a small group of
troops as a show of interest and to protect the U.S. Embassy.

Some in the administration have suggested that a contingent of several dozen
soldiers at the embassy in Monrovia along with stepped up diplomatic efforts
might suffice. In line with that, one official said, U.S. officials said they
are pressing the effort to get Taylor to leave the country.

Bush Wednesday repeated his call for Taylor to step down.

"One thing has to happen: Mr. Taylor needs to leave the country," Bush said.
"In order for there to be peace and stability in Liberia, Charles Taylor needs
to leave now."

Other military options are to send 500 to 1,000 Americans who might coordinate
logistics for any peacekeeper mission, provide it with communications equipment,
further evaluate the situations in Liberia, assist non-governmental
organizations there and so on, two officials said.

Taking that role, rather than the lead in a peacekeeping force, would allow
the United States to keep down the number of Americans required -- a major
consideration with so many already deployed around the world for the war
against terror and stabilization in Iraq.

Taylor has refused to leave office. A U.N.-backed court in neighboring Sierra
Leone has indicted him for crimes against humanity for his backing of rebels
in that country, where atrocities included hacking off victims' limbs.

Taylor told CBS Radio on Wednesday that U.S. troops would be welcomed his
country, that he would be willing to leave Liberia in about three months and
called for the United Nations war crimes charges against him to be dropped.

He said he was not sure if "asking the democratically elected president to
leave is the solution, but I will leave," he said.

"Of course," Taylor added later, "that is subject to hearing what President
Bush has to say."

Bush is under pressure make a decision before he visits Africa next week. The
trip doesn't include a stop in Liberia, founded in 1847 by freed American
slaves.

Secretary of State Colin Powell has talked a number of times in recent days to
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who would like to see the United States lead
a multinational peacekeeping force. African nations have offered 3,000 troops
for such a force.

Besides Annan, France, Britain and both sides in Liberia's fighting also have
pushed for an American role. In Washington, the Congressional Black Caucus also
called on Powell to persuade the White House to intervene quickly.

Bush is reluctant to send troops purely as peacekeepers, officials have said,
but might be more inclined if the troops were given a clear mission as part of
a defined coalition. Besides that, the U.S. military has plenty on its plate
without sending troops to Liberia.

More than 10,000 American troops are still working in and around Afghanistan,
and nearly 150,000 troops are stationed in a violent and troubled postwar Iraq.

The current round of fighting in Liberia began three years ago as rebels began
trying to oust Taylor, who won contested elections. Fighting killed hundreds
of civilians in Monrovia just last month, and the war has displaced more than
1 million Liberians.

Because of the violence -- but apart from the question of U.S. peacekeepers --
several dozen U.S. Marines have for days been on standby at a Spanish military
base in case they are needed for quick deployment as extra security at the U.S.
Embassy in Monrovia or to evacuate Americans.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-liberia,0,7472664.story

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CIA FACT BOOK:
Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight of most businesses have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds along with an army embargo and a travel ban on government officials for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/li.html

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U.S. considers sending up to 2,000 troops to Liberia
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It was 55 years ago Liberia's maritime program opened its doors to the world's shipping community. Within no time that community responded quickly, and in three months the 29,000dwt tanker World Peace, a large vessel by the standards of her day, had become the first ocean going merchant vessel to fly Liberia's star and stripes. Those 55 years have seen the fleet grow until today it stands at being one of the largest registries in the world.

Today's position has as its foundation the high standards set and maintained during those 55 years. Liberia has often led the world in introducing new standards of safety and in implementing new international codes and conventions, and the flag is recognized as being the Premier of the open registry. The registry has a reputation for quality, efficiency, safety, and service. Liberia also offers one of the most convenient, efficient, and tax effective offshore corporate registries in the world.
http://www.liscr.com /