Posted: 26th Jul 2003
Liberia is different to Iraq. There's a general consensus that peacekeepers are needed, and many countries have asked the US to help a force of African peacekeepers. Charles Taylor, the corrupt leader now fighting to the death, had agreed to stand down if US troops arrived to keep the peace. However the US wants Taylor out and some sort of ceasefire in place before they put troops on the ground. More US troops dying abroad does not make good news.

So the plan is in about a week the US ships will all arrive, and the African peacekeepers will be in assembled and hopefully the rebel leaders, a couple of whom seem quite civilized, and others who are far from it, will have withdrawn from the capital and established a ceasefire. Hopefully.

And why the US? There’s historical ties between the US and Liberia, it was founded by former American slaves. And such a powerful foreign power helps back the local peacekeepers, making it less likely that the rebels and government forces will continue fighting.

Posted: 28th Jul 2003
Well... The ships will be sitting far enough off shore to be safe but close enough to be visable. A few ships full of Marines is like walking by a fence and seeing a yard full of bull dogs chained to a poll with a single T-bone steak sitting just out of reach. They are cramped, pissed off and just waiting to be let off the leash.

It's a threat, without using words.

They are there just incase they are needed, like Dom said they arnt there as a force for conquest, but as a peace keeping force if needed.

Iraq wasnt the next Vietnam, but boy this looks like it could be. I dont like the looks of this one bit.

Some Jarhead last night: "this dumb a$$ thinks hes fireproof"