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U.S. Marines Return to Ships Off Liberia
EFL
U.S. Marines returned in heavy rains to warships off Liberia’s coast, insisting shipboard troops would be better positioned to respond to any flare-ups in the country’s still-gelling peace accord. Sunday’s unannounced departure of the 150-strong fighting force ended a significant U.S. military deployment on the ground after just 11 days.
Mission accomplished! Hoist anchor!
Liberians, watching U.S. military helicopters hustling out of sight, spoke fearfully of being deserted in the midst of bringing an end to 14 years of conflict that has claimed more than 150,000 lives. ``They’re forsaking us,’’ said Emmanuel Slawon, a 22-year-old watching a U.S. helicopter sortie fly out of Liberia’s main airport, dangling a Humvee in a giant sling.
Aw c’mon Emmanuel, you still have the Nigerians.
``We wish they’d stay until peace would come,’’ Slawon said. ``Their presence here puts fear in our fighters - it makes them think if they carry on hostilities, they’ll be handled by the Americans.’’
That’s a good fear for them to have.
A 3-week-old West African peace force has helped stop fighting in Monrovia, but clashes persist in the countryside - sending refugees fleeing this weekend just a few dozen miles from the airport. U.S. military helicopters flew over that region Sunday, on a patrol requested by West African forces to try to help determine the source of gunfire and artillery explosions Friday. Militia fighters manning a government checkpoint in the area reported an early Sunday firefight with rebel forces. Liberian Defense Minister Daniel Chea also claimed fighting persisted Sunday near the Guinea border. State radio claimed up to 1,000 people were killed but Chea said he knew nothing about that.
"I know no-fing! No-fing!"
CH-46 military helicopters carried the Marines back out of Liberia on Sunday, in driving rain. ``Let’s hope they’ll have peace in Liberia,’’ said one Marine, heading for the waiting CH-46, its rotors running. Sunday’s withdrawal leaves about 100 U.S. troops still on the ground — 70 guarding the U.S. Embassy, and 30 working as a liaison team with a 3-week-old West African peace force, Lt. Col. Tom Collins, spokesman for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit force, told The Associated Press. The pullback ``reflects the situation on the ground here,’’ the Marine spokesman said. He cited the now 1,500-strong West African peace force, building to a 3,250-member African force. ``We’re here to support (the West Africans), but we can do it better from the ship,’’ Collins said. Earlier, Marines had said they could react more quickly on the ground rather than on ships. Marines offered no explanation Sunday for their changed assessment. The force had been charged with backing up the West African troops if they came under attack. The American team largely had stayed at its base at the airport, out of sight of most Liberians.
Clearly no one at Al-Guardian has any appreciation of mobility.
The first U.S. show of force came hours after President Charles Taylor resigned. In the following days, U.S. forces roaming the front-lines and noisy helicopter and warplane forays over the city likewise made clear the world’s superpower still was watching.
"Red2, this is Home Base, you are cleared for a low-level sonic boom over Monrovia."
"Red2, on the way."
``If they want to leave, they can leave,’’ Col. Theophilus Tawiah of Ghana, chief of staff for the West African force, said Sunday, minutes after the Americans pulled out of sight. Calling the American support helpful, Tawiah added, ``wherever they are, their job is to support us. And they can support us from the ship or wherever.’’
Posted by: Steve White 2003-08-25
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=17957