Bush sorry but won't commit to Liberia
US President George Bush lamented the human suffering and unrest in Liberia today, but stopped short of committing peacekeepers to the African nation.
“The people are suffering there,” Bush said. “The political instability is such that people are panicking ... but the good news is there’s a ceasefire in place now.”
Bush said Secretary of State Colin Powell would work closely with the United Nations to determine the best way to keep the ceasefire in place.
He called again for Liberian President Charles Taylor to leave the country.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan wants US troops committed to peacekeeping in Liberia.
But Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is opposed to international proposals that the United States send 2,000 troops to head 3,000 peacekeepers from various other African countries.
More than 10,000 American troops are still working in and around Afghanistan since the beginning of the global war on terror in September 2001 and nearly 150,000 troops are stationed in a violent and troubled post-war Iraq.
Defence officials say they are trying to avoid committing troops to Liberia as well.
Rumsfeld also doubts there is a compelling US interest in Liberia’s affairs, aides say.
