Liberia and the United States go way back. Liberia was founded in 1847 by freed African American slaves and U.S. businesses have enjoyed it as a free-trade, low-tax haven and source of rubber, iron and gold ever since. Our military used it as a staging area during the cold war and for covert activities against “terrorist” Libya for which Libya retaliated by empowering Charles Taylor now President of Liberia to unleash a civil war in 1989. The U.S. abruptly withdrew support. Since then Taylor has perpetrated unending suffering in Liberia and neighboring nations. Conditions are critical now and we’re asked to intervene:

• Liberian residents and refugees are cut off from all aid food, water, and protection from stray mortars.
  
  
• A UN Tribunal has indicted President Taylor for crimes against humanity - training children to become barbaric soldiers; raping and mutilating civilians; and profiting from diamonds seized from Sierra Leone
  
  
• Compelling evidence shows Taylor sold diamonds to Al Qaeda prior to 9/11 as a way to protect their assets.
  
  
• An unstable West Africa jeopardizes US oil imports, creates a haven for money laundering and terrorist training grounds, and perpetuates a staggering humanitarian crisis affecting generations of families.

If “a stable Middle East is critical to the security of the American people,” as President Bush stated recently to justify the war in Iraq in the absence of WMD, should not an unstable West Africa be given the same attention?

Criticized for “going it alone” in Iraq, defying the UN Security Council and weakening the UN, the US is now being urged to take the lead in stabilizing Liberia. The Bush Administration poses two preconditions for sending in US troops - a cease-fire and President Taylor’s departure and insists we will only act in a supporting role. Is the U.S. missing a chance to demonstrate we can work together with a multinational peacekeeping force to find long lasting solutions and foster democracy?

Does our shared history with Liberia demand we lead the response to this humanitarian crisis? What have we learned in Iraq, in Somalia, that can guide us? What would a transitional government in Liberia look like and who would pay for it? How many lives are being lost while we contemplate the next move?