WASHINGTON U.S. plans for possible intervention in Liberia



President Bush is trying to persuade President Charles Taylor to leave the country.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. military commander in Europe has been ordered to begin planning for possible American intervention in Liberia, officials said Thursday, as President Bush and his advisers weighed diplomatic and military options for responding to the Liberian conflict.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was consulting the United Nations and leaders in Africa, and Bush's National Security Council struggled with the issue for a third day.
Powell spoke of "a severe humanitarian crisis emerging" in Liberia as well as concern for the safety of American diplomats there. He said, "All of these factors are being taken into consideration."
Options on the table ranged from sending no troops to sending thousands, defense officials said.
Some in the administration have suggested that sending a contingent of several dozen soldiers to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia along with stepping up diplomatic efforts might suffice. In line with that, Bush and other U.S. officials were pressing the effort to persuade Liberian President Charles Taylor to leave the country.
Bush said he would not be rushed into making a decision before he leaves Monday evening for a five-country African tour. He called anew for Taylor to leave.
"A condition for any progress in Liberia is his removal, his removing himself," Bush said in an interview with African journalists.
In a separate interview, he declined to say what he would do if Taylor refuses to cede power. "I refuse to accept the negative," Bush told CNN International. "I am convinced that he will listen."
'Sense of expectations'
He spoke of America's "unique history" with Liberia, which was founded by freed American slaves, saying there was "a greater sense of expectations" of U.S. help.
Indeed, thousands of Liberians marched behind an American flag to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, pleading for Bush to send troops to help stop the years of bloody civil war in their nation.
"No more Taylor, we want Bush, we want peace," the crowd chanted. Across town, 300 people rallied in support of Taylor, saying his departure would mean the United States could oust any African leader it opposed.
Directive to general
Sending at least some U.S. troops appeared to be a strong possibility. The American military commander in Europe was ordered to begin planning for possible intervention.
A directive called a "warning order" was sent overnight to Gen. James Jones, asking him to give the Pentagon his estimate of how the situation in the West African nation might be handled, defense officials said on condition of anonymity.
Bush was trying to decide how to respond to international pressure that he send 2,000 troops to help enforce a cease-fire in the country.
Another military option was to send 500 to 1,000 Americans who might coordinate logistics for any peacekeeping mission, provide it with communications equipment and assist nongovernmental organizations in the area, defense officials said.

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