VOA News
15 Jul 2003, 17:51 UTC
Rebels in Liberia are calling for U.S. troops to have an "overwhelming" presence in the war-torn country, as Washington considers a role for American forces there.
A spokesman for Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, Kabineh Ja'neh, said Tuesday that American troops are needed for psychological comfort and would signal an end to the country's 14-year-long civil war.
Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS, has named a Nigerian military officer to lead a regional force it is sending to Liberia. ECOWAS said Brigadier-General Festus Okonkwo will command soldiers monitoring cease-fire lines in and around the Liberian capital, Monrovia.
In Washington, the White House said again Tuesday that President Bush's decision on whether to send troops will depend on the findings of two U.S. military teams visiting the region.
Spokesman Scott McClellan repeated Mr. Bush's demand that Liberian president Charles Taylor step down before U.S. help arrives.
After talks with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday, Mr. Bush said it may be necessary to deploy U.S. troops on a limited mission.
Mr. Annan's scenario for securing Liberia calls for an advance group of West African troops to go in, followed by an expanded force that could include Americans. He said U.N. forces eventually would take over peacekeeping duties and all the other troops would go home.
Mr. Taylor has accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria but has said he will only leave his country after peacekeeping troops arrive.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
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