African-American Lawmakers Urge President Bush to Send Troops to Liberia

VOAnews ^ | 07-26-03

[Brian S]

African-American members of Congress say the Bush administration needs to immediately send troops to Liberia. The lawmakers told reporters on Capitol Hill that the scale of the crisis demands President Bush decide quickly on a U.S. military commitment and leading role in organizing an international force.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are frustrated with what they call unacceptable delay in making a decision on how U.S. troops will be involved.

Elijah Cummings, chairman of the Black Caucus, says the presence of Americans on the ground would be very significant.

So far President Bush has ordered U.S. troops to take up positions off the coast of Liberia to support the deployment of a West African peacekeeping force.

But Mr. Cummings says the positioning of a U.S. assault ship, the Iwo Jima, from the Mediterranean to the coast off Liberia is a welcome, but not sufficient, response.

"We believe that the president should make a definitive decision regarding the nature and scope of U.S. participation so that it is clear to the Liberian people, the U.S. public, and the international community, that help is on the way," he said.

African-American lawmakers say they are willing to go to Africa to help with efforts to resolve the crisis in Liberia.

They have had frequent contact with Secretary of State Colin Powell and other officials pressing the case for immediate commitment of troops.

However, they believe President Bush may not yet have recognized that a leading U.S. role is necessary.

"We expect him to do what is necessary, make the decision, do what is necessary to stop this carnage and not sit back and wait, and hope that perhaps [the United States] will never have to go in. But it is stalling at this point," said California Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

The African-American lawmakers say they are prepared to assist in any way, including traveling to Africa to take part in efforts to forge a political situation.

In past appeals, they have pointed to what they call double standards in how successive U.S. administrations have handled crises in Africa versus those in other world trouble spots.

Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey picked up on that line of criticism. "As we asked other countries to come into Iraq and to assist us in that situation, other countries are saying America where are you with your moral obligation to Liberia?" he said.

For Congresswoman Diane Watson, unless President Bush acts, and until Washington works on finding longer-term solutions with allies and the United Nations, many will continue to question the administration's attitude toward Africa.

"Until we do that and make it real clear, then there is a question about why the president is hesitating over going to the 'dark continent,' and adding the assistance to one of our countries, and I say ours because this is where liberated slaves went," she said. "We need to have a very clear, transparent foreign policy that covers not only the hot spots, but the human spots where people are dying and being harmed every day."

The lawmakers express impatience with the amount of time Nigeria says it will take to organize an initial contingent of about 1,300 troops for Liberia.

They say that in the seven to eight days it will take to send the U.S. assault ship to waters off Liberia, and move Nigerians into position, hundreds if not thousands more people could die in Liberia.

[BenLurkin]

Monrovia
Current population of the City
630660


Current population of the country
2563092
Population of the country in 1998
2666000
Population of the country in 2050
10010000
Population Growth
-3.86%
Unemployment
15.9%
Female/Male Ratio
(females per 100 males, 1997)
99
Nationality
Liberian(s)
Language
English 20% (official),
Niger-Congo language group
about 20 local languages come
from this group
Religion
traditional 70%, Muslim 20%,
Christian 10%
Geography
Liberia is bordered by Sierra
Leone, Guinea, It is comparable in
size to Tennessee.
Currency
Liberian dollar

[BenLurkin]

"I'm goin' up to Mars and see for mah self where Neil armstrong left da flag"

[kevao]

I'm not necessarily opposed to U.S. troops going into Liberia. But first, I want President Bush to go to the United Nations and make a speech laying out the case for intervention. Second, I want UN inspectors to go to Liberia for five, six, seven or more months to determine the situation. Finally, I want a few months (at least) of debate in the Security Council before we unilaterally intervene in Liberia.

If there's anything we've learned from our experience in Iraq, it should be this.

[dennisw]

African-American members of Congress say the Bush administration needs to immediately send troops to Liberia.

Yada yada yada. The buffoons of the Black Caucus were useless when it came to supporting GW's war in Iraq. Said buffoons are all Democrats, could this be a factor? If we are going to Africa we should take out Mugabe first.

[MadeInOhio]

"Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey picked up on that line of criticism. `As we asked other countries to come into Iraq and to assist us in that situation, other countries are saying America where are you with your moral obligation to Liberia?' he said."

What moral obligation to Liberia?

[swarthyguy]

What a bunch of hypoctrites.

First, attacking Iraq was racist.

Now, not getting mired in Liberia is racist.

Does dark bread have more consistency than white bread?

[swarthyguy]

What about the 3 MILLION dead in Congo in the past few years?

3 Million.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

You beat me to it.

[AngrySpud]

Because for the vast majority of men, 67 is not "relatively young". It depends on how well they take care of themselves. Jac LaLane, for example, is 80-something, yet I'd consider him relatively young.