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The White House continues to debate possible U.S. intervention in Liberia as pressure mounts for President Charles Taylor to leave office. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Thursday, it is going to take some time to decide on a course of action in Liberia.

Washington has come under intense international pressure to help keep the peace in Liberia, where last week's rebel offensive in the capital, Monrovia, has killed hundreds of civilians. President Bush said Wednesday he is considering all options to help end Liberia's civil war, but added that Mr. Taylor must step down in the interest of peace.

President Taylor has so far refused to leave office. He is under indictment by a U.N.-backed court in neighboring Sierra Leone for war crimes, and has said there can be no peace in his country unless the indictment is lifted. The issue of U.S. involvement in Liberia comes only days ahead of Mr. Bush's tour of Africa which begins on Monday. He is to make stops in Nigeria, Senegal, Botswana, Uganda, and South Africa. The Pentagon has contingency plans for Liberia ranging from taking no action to deploying anywhere from 500 to 2,000 U.S. soldiers as part of a larger multinational peacekeeping force. West African nations have already pledged to send soldiers for the proposed operation.

Defense officials say if the president decides to send troops, U.S. marines stationed in Spain would be among the first to arrive in Liberia. They are currently on standby, ready to deployed should security at the U.S. embassy in Monrovia deteriorate.

News reports say the administration has all but decided to send a contingent of U.S. troops to Liberia, but only for a limited time.