U.S. Marines Return to Ships Off Liberia

NNN0LHI

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Sun Aug-24-03 10:48 AM
Original message

U.S. Marines Return to Ships Off Liberia

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=515&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/20030824/ap_on_re_af/liberia

MONROVIA, Liberia - A 150-strong U.S. Marine force headed back to warships off the coast of Liberia's capital Sunday, ending an 11-day deployment as fighting in Monrovia subsided after a peace agreement between rebels and the government. snip

The 150 rapid-reaction team deployed Aug. 15 to support the West African peacekeepers. Collins said they're not going to send in more Marines, but they'll wait on the ships in case they're needed.

"We're here to support (the West Africans), but we can do it better from the ship," he said.

The withdrawal leaves about 100 U.S. troops on the ground, including liaison teams and embassy guards.

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shockandawed

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Sun Aug-24-03 10:52 AM
Response to Original message

1. This is how Iraq should have been

See, we can pull troops out quickly. Guess the rapid-reaction team didn't find any oil.

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Paschall

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Sun Aug-24-03 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. Except in Liberia...

...we can rely on a UN-trained forced of West African peacekeepers. Remember Shrubby said the UN was an "irrelevant debating society."

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DuctapeFatwa

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Sun Aug-24-03 10:56 AM
Response to Original message

2. Well there is quite a bit of fighting going on there

Edited on Sun Aug-24-03 11:01 AM by DuctapeFatwa

The marines would be in danger if they remained.

=============================================
Thousands of civilians fled towards Monrovia on Saturday, reporting fresh gun and mortar fire on the way to the rebel-held
second city of Buchanan, but on Sunday the main road was quieter -- save for the U.S. military helicopters patrolling
overhead.

Defence Minister Daniel Chea accused the main rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD)
on Sunday of attacking government positions near the central city of Gbarnga, around 160 km (100 miles) northwest of
Monrovia.

He said fighting was concentrated around the Baila river bridge over the St John River on the main road from Gbarnga to
Ganta, 60 km (38 miles) further away from Monrovia.

http://www.swisspolitics.org/en/news/index.php?section=int&page=news_inhalt&news_id=4160631
============================================

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J B

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Sun Aug-24-03 11:22 AM
Response to Reply #2

4. I'm sure they could've deployed more for self-protection.

No, that wasn't what they had in mind, obviously, but it was possible...

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DuctapeFatwa

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Sun Aug-24-03 11:33 AM
Response to Reply #4

7. The oil facilities are offshore, in the Gulf

Right there on the ship is the best place to be to be ready to act in case there should be any threat to the oil facilities.

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Rose Siding

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Sun Aug-24-03 11:28 AM
Response to Reply #2

5. Things heated up and they left?

Will our media EVER connect those dots?

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DuctapeFatwa

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Sun Aug-24-03 11:35 AM
Response to Reply #5

8. Yes, the fighting resumed yesterday

Or at least yesterday was when it started to heat up. n Friday there were some reports of clashes that had begun between factions of the gov forces, but by Saturday LURD was on the move again, to take advantage of the division.

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soothsayer

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Sun Aug-24-03 11:29 AM
Response to Reply #2

6. Phew! They got out just in time, before the fighting started

Hey, wait a minute---weren't they supposed to be there keeping the peace? Or did it all go to hell as soon as they left for the ships.

Hmmm.

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