Taylor Holds Out on Departure | LA Times

July 13, 2003

Taylor Holds Out on Departure
-The president still refuses to say when he will leave Liberia. He insists his government is 'not vanquished.' Critics warn of a ploy to stay.

By Ann M. Simmons, Times Staff Writer

MONROVIA, Liberia -- Beleaguered President Charles Taylor on Saturday reaffirmed his commitment to leave Liberia but warned that the nation had not seen the last of his administration.

"We are not a vanquished government," Taylor told a cheering crowd that had braved pouring rain to attend the rally in Monrovia, the capital. "This government remains the government of Liberia. And let me say to you that the Constitution of Liberia will prevail."

Taylor's comments raised questions about his departure, a precondition for the U.S. to send peacekeepers. Opponents believe that his words are cosmetic and are convinced that the president's supporters and political "inner circle" are trying to devise ways for him to stay.

More at the LA Times

Bush stated that he could not send the military to Liberia because they were stretched to thin and Pat Robertson attacked Bush for telling this guy to step down. Let us not forget that Robetson is a figure in the religious right and business partners with President Taylor.

Let me see if I have this correct 1) Bush financial supporter and Liberian business partner, publicly critisises Bush on Liberia issue 2) Bush says U.S. military will not be going to Liberia 3) Liberian President is starting to hedge on promise to step down.

Makes me wonder just how much talking money does to Bush? Maybe I am wrong and that turn of events are just a coincident.

Especially since Robertson's business partner is an escaped felon and has recently been charged with war crimes. Not to mention, the 100,000's of people who have died because of him.

Nah, none of that matters unless you happen to be the leader of Iraq. And in this cause Taylor is directly connected to funding and harboring al Qaeda terrorists. Of course, we wouldn't want to cut off one of al Qaeda's main sources of funding, now would we W?


Liberian Is Accused of Harboring Al Qaeda

The head of Sierra Leone's international tribunal accused Liberian President Charles Taylor yesterday of harboring al Qaeda terrorists and assassinating a former lieutenant who was a fugitive from the U.N.-backed court.

David Crane, the American prosecutor for the Special Court on Sierra Leone, said in an interview that Taylor poses a threat not just to West Africa but to the rest of the world. Crane, a former inspector general at the Pentagon and assistant general counsel for the Defense Intelligence Agency, said his investigations of Sierra Leone's civil war had uncovered evidence of al Qaeda's network operating in West Africa, principally to buy diamonds.

"Diamonds fuel my conflict, and diamonds fuel the war on terrorism," Crane said. "Charles Taylor is harboring terrorists from the Middle East, including al Qaeda and Hezbollah, and has been for years. It is time for the world to know this and who Charles Taylor really is. He is not just a regional troublemaker; he is a player in the world of terror and what he does affects lives in the United States and Europe."

more...