hmm, reminds me a little of Mogadishu, Somalia about 10 years ago.WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A team of several dozen U.S. Marines is on standby in Spain for possible deployment to the war-torn African country of Liberia to reinforce security at the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Monrovia, Pentagon sources said Wednesday.
The Marines are waiting at the U.S. base at Rota, Spain, and could leave at a moment's notice. They could land in Monrovia within six hours of receiving orders.
Several hundred Americans remain in Liberia, where intense fighting between the government of President Charles Taylor and rebel forces has continued despite a June 17 cease-fire.
If the security situation in the Liberian capital deteriorates, the Americans could be evacuated by additional U.S. forces or possibly by aircraft under State Department contract, sources said.
The developments come as the Bush administration debates whether to intervene in the conflict in Liberia, which was founded in 1822 as a settlement for freed American slaves.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the Security Council to dispatch a multinational force there "to prevent a major humanitarian tragedy."
Annan said a Security Council member should head the force, and African leaders have called for the United States to lead it because of the nation's long ties to Liberia.
Senior Cabinet officials met Saturday to draw up a range of options to present to President Bush, a senior State Department official said Tuesday. The choices range from logistical support for a multinational force to thousands of U.S. troops, according to senior U.S. officials.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the United States is "actively discussing and reviewing what next steps may or may not be," but he did not rule out the possibility of committing American forces.
Fleischer's comments provoked a nearly instantaneous reaction on the streets of Monrovia, where thousands of people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy to cheer a possible American presence.
"We feel America can bring peace because they are the original founders of this nation, and secondly, they are the superpower of the world," one man said.
Bush has called on the Liberian president to step down. Nigeria had been working with Taylor on a possible deal for him to take refuge in that country.
The Liberian leader wants assurances a U.N.-backed court that has indicted him on charges of perpetrating war crimes in neighboring Sierra Leone will not seek his extradition.
One problem, however, is that Taylor has agreed to deals before, then backed out.
Officials said the United States was working closely with members of the Economic Community of West African States on diplomatic efforts, particularly Ghana and Nigeria.
OK, OK, I know Vizzini says "Asia" instead of "Africa". Never the less, I am still against getting involved in this conflict any more than necessary to remove the Americans in the embassy out of country.Vizzini from The Princess Bride wrote: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is "Never get involved in a land war in Africa." But only slightly less well known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line."
