The US late yesterday moved closer to sending its troops to Liberia, as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized dispatching a military liaison team to the war-ravaged country, defense officials said.

The team, consisting of six to ten people, will establish communications between a Marine expeditionary force off the Liberian coast and Nigerian peacekeepers on the ground to prepare for the landing of the main US force, if President George W Bush gives his final approval, the officials said.

"They are going to assist in coordination of contract logistical support as needed," said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Because the situation in and around Monrovia remained unstable, the time of the group's departure was being kept secret.

But it is not ruled out that it could be in Liberia possibly as early as today.

The US Navy has positioned two amphibious assault ships – the USS Iwo Jima, and Carter Hall - and the amphibious transport dock USS Nashville off the coast of Liberia.

The ships are carrying around 2 500 Marines, transport and attack helicopters and other military equipment necessary to ensure the success of their mission.

"They are probably a hundred miles or so to the shore. That was as of today," said another defense official, who declined to confirm an NBC News report the ships had been ordered to within 64 km of the Liberian coast to bring the troops within easy helicopter range of the country.

A 300-strong Nigerian advance peacekeeping force landed at Robertsfield Airport outside Monrovia Monday in hopes to begin enforcing a ceasefire between forces loyal to President Charles Taylor and the main rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy.

The order to create a liaison team was issued following a secure video conference earlier yesterday between Rumsfeld and Bush, who is vacationing at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

The president has found himself in the political crossfire over Liberia, with African-American groups and many congressional Democrats accusing him of applying dual standards to the African nation and Iraq - and demanding resolute action to end the Liberian bloodshed.

At the same time, one of his staunchest congressional allies, Armed Services Committee chairperson John Warner, took to the floor of the US Senate last Friday to decry what he saw as politics driving decision-making on the issue.

"Is this situation following the doctrine in our national security interests?" asked the Republican senator.

"It has not been answered to my satisfaction".

Warner also pointed out that a Liberian mission could turn into another Somalia, a reference to the botched 1993 peacekeeping mission, which the United States was forces to abandon after Somali militiamen killed 18 US troops.

But Joint Chiefs of Staff chairperson General Richard Myers assured yesterday that the Somalia fiasco will not be repeated.

"This is not the same situation," he stressed, adding that US military planners were developing what he called "intelligent options" for dealing with the crisis.

Myers insisted the administration will make "no commitment of troops anywhere in the world without some of the essentials that we need, and that is a clear mission, a clear end state, and sufficient force to do the job".

The White House, meanwhile, reiterated its demand that Taylor leave the country and for the warring parties to reach a viable ceasefire.

The Liberian president was expected to go into exile in Nigeria after handing over power next Monday to his vice-president Moses Blah. – Sapa-AFP.