13 August 2003
200 U.S. Troops to Support African Peacekeepers in Liberia
Defense Department Report, August 13: Operational Update
Washington -- A U.S. military force of approximately 200 troops -- including a company-size Marine quick reaction force -- will arrive shortly in Liberia to assist African peacekeepers and support the arrival of vital humanitarian assistance at Monrovia's port, U.S. Defense Department officials said August 13.
The U.S. forces will include about 150 Marines in an infantry company-size reaction force designed to assist peacekeepers if needed at Monrovia's airport and port facilities. In addition, approximately one dozen Navy SEALS will perform port hydrographic studies, engineers will evaluate the port's capacity to receive cargo ships laden with humanitarian aid, and liaison officers will lend support to African-based peacekeepers, Air Force Lieutenant General Norton Schwartz -- director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- announced at a Pentagon briefing.
"The purpose of the mission for Joint Task Force-Liberia still is in four major areas," Schwartz said. "The first was to assess the readiness of ECOMIL [Economic Community of West African States military] forces from the various contributing countries. To provide training if required was the second. The third was to assist ECOMIL in order to achieve the objective of obtaining security and stability in the Monrovia area.
"And the fourth one was to provide a reaction capability in the event that the ECOMIL forces get in trouble." However, Schwartz stressed at the briefing that this will be a "narrow mission" for U.S. forces with the overall objective of stabilizing the situation.
Currently, there are less than 100 U.S. military personnel in Liberia -- a dozen assigned to protect the U.S. embassy, 60 added a month ago to enhance embassy security, and less than 20 personnel to act as liaisons with peacekeeping forces. A battalion-size peacekeeping force of approximately 746 soldiers from Nigeria has already arrived in Liberia and a second battalion-size Nigerian infantry unit is headed to Liberia at the end of this week, said Schwartz.
"The objective is to let the Nigerian forces continue with stabilizing key areas of the city that are needed for the continued flow of ... humanitarian operations," said Lawrence Di Rita, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.
Many of the 200 U.S. military personnel will return nightly to a three-warship task force currently stationed off the Liberian coast and will not engage in peacekeeping duties, the briefers said. The Joint Task Force-Liberia includes 2,300 Marines, combat and utility helicopters and strike aircraft.
In addition to providing logistical support, the Defense spokesmen said U.S. forces would also provide limited air support that might include combat helicopters and Harrier strike jets flown by U.S. Marine pilots.
"Helicopters are part of the larger joint task force ... and they certainly are available," Schwartz said. "But, they will remain aboard ship."
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=August&x=20030813181116hrellekm0.5940973&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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