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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.
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