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Liberian Rebels Threaten Peacekeeping Force
Liberiaâs main rebel faction warned on Friday that any peacekeeping force that deployed before President Charles Taylor stepped down would have to be prepared to fight it. West African countries plan to send a 1,000-strong force within two weeks to prevent chaos when Taylor quits under U.S. pressure. Taylor says he will only go once a force arrives.Hopefully, the first thing the peacekeeping force does is arrest and/or shoot Chuck. "While we hope for the best we are braced for the worst; therefore any troops deployed before the departure of Taylor must be prepared for a fire-fight," said the statement from Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). Thanks for the warning. LURD began its war to topple Taylor more than three years ago and now controls about 30 percent of the ruined country. Its fighters struck into Monrovia twice last month, leaving hundreds dead. Rebels known as Model hold another 30 percent of Liberia. The United States is still debating whether to send its own peacekeepers to Liberia, a country founded by freed American slaves in the 19th century. But President Bush has said the United States will back African efforts. Taylor has accepted an offer of asylum from Nigeria, which is also likely to be the biggest contributor of troops to the emergency force. "Any troop deployment before the departure of Taylor shall be viewed as a means to prop up Taylorâs regime and further prolong the crisis," LURD said. If they donât wack Chuck first thing, then LURD could be right. Posted by: Steve 2003-07-11 |
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