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CNN Saturday Morning News
President Bush is Sending more Troops to Liberia
Aired July 26, 2003 - 08:00 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the simmering crisis in Liberia. President Bush is sending more U.S. Marines toward the war torn nation. But they won't be deployed inside the West African country, at least not yet. The president's decision follows a deadly rebel mortar barrage on the capital of Monrovia.
White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now with the very latest on all of this -- good morning to you, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Well, President Bush, is responding to international and domestic pressure to try to help enforce that cease-fire in Liberia. It was yesterday that President Bush ordered U.S. troops to position themselves off the coast of Liberia. That is to help and support, aid West African nations in their peacekeeping efforts in that country. There are two ships compromised of nearly 2,000 Marines that are steaming toward Liberia, the USS Iowa Jima as well as the USS Carter Hall, already in the Mediterranean. The USS Nashville is to follow.
Now, still, President Bush has yet to commit boots on the ground in Liberia. Here is the plan that they are hoping to play out here, that West African nations stabilize the region, those peacekeepers; that U.S. forces would provide logistics, communications and support to those troops. The U.S. has already committed some $10 million through a military contractor to help aid those efforts.
Now, Liberia's President Charles Taylor would then have to get out of the country first, before President Bush or the Pentagon would consider sending in U.S. troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: U.S. troops will be there to help ECOWAS go in and serve as peacekeepers necessary to create the conditions so that human aid can go in and help the people of -- in Liberia. We're deeply concerned that the condition of the Liberian people is getting worse and worse and worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Heidi, President Bush yesterday said that this mission would be limited in time and scope. He also emphasized that it would be the United Nations, a multinational peacekeeping force, that ultimately would be responsible for enforcing that cease-fire and keeping the peace -- Heidi. COLLINS: Suzanne, I want to ask you about something else, as well. We know that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas met with President Bush. Wondering, they mostly talked about the poverty level in Abbas' country now.
What is this all about?
MALVEAUX: Well, it's certainly about Palestinians getting financial aid from the administration. And President Bush has actually committed to doing that. But that meeting really was to set the stage for a larger picture. You know that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is going to be coming visiting with President Bush on Tuesday. Yesterday, President Bush really gave Abbas a big push when he said that Israel had to tear down this wall, what's called a security wall from the Israelis. Also saying, of course, that Israel has to stop those settlements on Palestinian territories. Those in the plus category for Abbas.
But at the same time, he did not agree to one of the Palestinian conditions, that a blanket release of prisoners, Palestinian prisoners, saying that they would have to take it on a case by case basis.
But, of course, Heidi, all of this is to push both of them towards moving forward in that Middle East peace effort.
COLLINS: Still several points of contention, as we see.
Thanks so much, White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux this morning.
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 26, 2003 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the simmering crisis in Liberia. President Bush is sending more U.S. Marines toward the war torn nation. But they won't be deployed inside the West African country, at least not yet. The president's decision follows a deadly rebel mortar barrage on the capital of Monrovia.
White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now with the very latest on all of this -- good morning to you, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Well, President Bush, is responding to international and domestic pressure to try to help enforce that cease-fire in Liberia. It was yesterday that President Bush ordered U.S. troops to position themselves off the coast of Liberia. That is to help and support, aid West African nations in their peacekeeping efforts in that country. There are two ships compromised of nearly 2,000 Marines that are steaming toward Liberia, the USS Iowa Jima as well as the USS Carter Hall, already in the Mediterranean. The USS Nashville is to follow.
Now, still, President Bush has yet to commit boots on the ground in Liberia. Here is the plan that they are hoping to play out here, that West African nations stabilize the region, those peacekeepers; that U.S. forces would provide logistics, communications and support to those troops. The U.S. has already committed some $10 million through a military contractor to help aid those efforts.
Now, Liberia's President Charles Taylor would then have to get out of the country first, before President Bush or the Pentagon would consider sending in U.S. troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: U.S. troops will be there to help ECOWAS go in and serve as peacekeepers necessary to create the conditions so that human aid can go in and help the people of -- in Liberia. We're deeply concerned that the condition of the Liberian people is getting worse and worse and worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Heidi, President Bush yesterday said that this mission would be limited in time and scope. He also emphasized that it would be the United Nations, a multinational peacekeeping force, that ultimately would be responsible for enforcing that cease-fire and keeping the peace -- Heidi. COLLINS: Suzanne, I want to ask you about something else, as well. We know that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas met with President Bush. Wondering, they mostly talked about the poverty level in Abbas' country now.
What is this all about?
MALVEAUX: Well, it's certainly about Palestinians getting financial aid from the administration. And President Bush has actually committed to doing that. But that meeting really was to set the stage for a larger picture. You know that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is going to be coming visiting with President Bush on Tuesday. Yesterday, President Bush really gave Abbas a big push when he said that Israel had to tear down this wall, what's called a security wall from the Israelis. Also saying, of course, that Israel has to stop those settlements on Palestinian territories. Those in the plus category for Abbas.
But at the same time, he did not agree to one of the Palestinian conditions, that a blanket release of prisoners, Palestinian prisoners, saying that they would have to take it on a case by case basis.
But, of course, Heidi, all of this is to push both of them towards moving forward in that Middle East peace effort.
COLLINS: Still several points of contention, as we see.
Thanks so much, White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
