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CNN Saturday Morning News
A Look at U.S. Commitment to Africa
Aired July 05, 2003 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: The president has not yet decided whether to commit U.S. troops to aid Liberia. But he, of course, can learn any lessons, possibly, from past interventions.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look at the U.S. commitment to Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Candidate George W. Bush on sending U.S. troops into Africa's civil wars...
GEORGE W. BUSH, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's an important continent. But there's got to be priorities.
STARR: Now President Bush is rethinking Africa's importance and the special U.S. interests in Liberia.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Its stability could be vital to progress on the continent. There's a humanitarian situation there that needs to be dealt with. But I think that we've also recognized, since 9/11, that one wants to be careful about permitting conditions of failed states to create conditions in which there's so much instability that you begin to see greater sources of terrorism.
STARR: The peacekeeping mission could turn dangerous, especially if U.S. forces get caught between Liberian President Charles Taylor and well-armed rebels.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: Loyalists to Charles Taylor know they have no future, because if they put down their arms and surrender, then the rebel forces, either today or a month from now, will kill them. So yes, there will probably be some sporadic fighting.
STARR: Past military involvements in Africa have caused trouble for U.S. presidents. In 1992, troops went to Somalia. The U.S. pulled out after 18 soldiers died in a Mogadishu ambush.
In 1996, the U.S. sent hundreds of troops to Central Africa for a relief effort, but only after hundreds of thousands of Rwandans had already been killed in a brutal civil war.
Providing training and equipment, but not troops, has been the focus of recent U.S. policy. Last year, the U.S. pledged to help West Africa military forces set up bases for rapid deployment to conflicts. Washington is talking about a regional satellite communications system.
But there are still problems. Three years ago, the Pentagon sent 200 special forces trainers to Nigeria and Ghana to train troops for operations in Sierra Leone, still a hot spot.
(on camera): But civil wars and humanitarian disasters continue. And President Bush will now take his turn trying to see if this time, American troops can make a difference in Africa.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 5, 2003 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: The president has not yet decided whether to commit U.S. troops to aid Liberia. But he, of course, can learn any lessons, possibly, from past interventions.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look at the U.S. commitment to Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Candidate George W. Bush on sending U.S. troops into Africa's civil wars...
GEORGE W. BUSH, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's an important continent. But there's got to be priorities.
STARR: Now President Bush is rethinking Africa's importance and the special U.S. interests in Liberia.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Its stability could be vital to progress on the continent. There's a humanitarian situation there that needs to be dealt with. But I think that we've also recognized, since 9/11, that one wants to be careful about permitting conditions of failed states to create conditions in which there's so much instability that you begin to see greater sources of terrorism.
STARR: The peacekeeping mission could turn dangerous, especially if U.S. forces get caught between Liberian President Charles Taylor and well-armed rebels.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: Loyalists to Charles Taylor know they have no future, because if they put down their arms and surrender, then the rebel forces, either today or a month from now, will kill them. So yes, there will probably be some sporadic fighting.
STARR: Past military involvements in Africa have caused trouble for U.S. presidents. In 1992, troops went to Somalia. The U.S. pulled out after 18 soldiers died in a Mogadishu ambush.
In 1996, the U.S. sent hundreds of troops to Central Africa for a relief effort, but only after hundreds of thousands of Rwandans had already been killed in a brutal civil war.
Providing training and equipment, but not troops, has been the focus of recent U.S. policy. Last year, the U.S. pledged to help West Africa military forces set up bases for rapid deployment to conflicts. Washington is talking about a regional satellite communications system.
But there are still problems. Three years ago, the Pentagon sent 200 special forces trainers to Nigeria and Ghana to train troops for operations in Sierra Leone, still a hot spot.
(on camera): But civil wars and humanitarian disasters continue. And President Bush will now take his turn trying to see if this time, American troops can make a difference in Africa.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
