U.S. eyes small force for Liberia duty

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The U.S. military is considering a force of fewer than 2,000 troops to augment a West African peacekeeping force in Liberia, a military source said yesterday.

The source said U.S. European Command, which has responsibility for military operations in West Africa, is eyeing an option that would put about 300 support personnel in Liberia. They would be protected by an unspecified number of combat troops, flown in from Europe or the United States. Most support troops would come from the Guard and Reserves. The total commitment actually is likely to be under 1,000 troops, the source said.

The support troops would include civil affairs officers who help restore basic government services, supply personnel, communications experts and intelligence officers. The team would support a peacekeeping force of West Africans who might number about 3,000.

The White House said President Bush has made no final decision on whether to send American forces to the violence-racked nation. He first wants Liberian President Charles Taylor, who stands indicted on war crimes, to permanently leave the country. He also wants a permanent cease-fire agreement between the government and rebels.

The military source said the debate inside the administration has produced troop options of between 300 and 2,000. The source said the Pentagon, whose troops are stretched thin performing major operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, is pressing for the lowest possible number. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is described as cool, at best, toward the mission.

In Liberia, hundreds have died in the past several days alone as rebels began an assault on Monrovia. But the shooting waned yesterday and the State Department said a cease-fire seemed to be occurring.

"There are a lot of pieces of this that have to come together," spokesman Richard Boucher said on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr. Boucher indicated a deployment decision by the president was closer in time, but not necessarily today.

"We're working with the West Africans," he said. "We're pressuring the parties to stop the fighting."